Duplication
by Nika Dixon
Summary: Because sometimes you just have to believe. R/K. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1 PROLOGUE

**For rhaddict - who needs a reason to believe.**

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

"You ready?" Ronon spun the bantos rod around beside him and angled his head towards her.

Jen chewed her bottom lip. "No." She snorted, the quick shake to her head tickling the ends of her ponytail across her bare shoulders. She wasn't ready, and she probably never would be. But… she took a deep breath, lowered her center of gravity like he'd taught her, moved her own bantos rod away from her side and waited for him to move.

"Relax." He ordered, walking slowly around to her left. "You can't react if you're all tense."

"You're about to hit me with a stick." She muttered, shifting position so she could keep him in front of her. "Of course I'm a little tense."

"If you block it, you won't get hit."

"Well I highly doubt I'll block it so I'm going with Option B."

Ronon snorted. "That's not a very good attitude."

"It's practical…"

Ronon jumped forward and swung, Jen immediately let out a quick shriek and blocked him, the clack of the sticks resounding through the empty gym. He moved right and she quickly countered, then two more successive swings and she blocked both. He swung high, aiming for her left shoulder, and when she stopped his attack he spun and aimed for her right hip.

Jen knew he was aiming for her hip, and she automatically jumped back and to the side. But while she was fully centered on getting out of the way and blocking his swing, she forgot to remember to pay attention to what her feet were doing.

And topping off the whole moment - which she'd later refer to as the "incident" – the door to the hallway opened and in waltzed John Sheppard.

With her body off balance, her arm extended, and the heel of her right foot landing against the side of her left, she caught an edge and stumbled. Her eyes moved from the doorway, to Ronon, to the oncoming bantos rod. Her body subconsciously bent to right itself, while still attempting to hop left to avoid the swing. The awkward motion pitched her forward and placed her directly in Ronon's path.

Ronon checked his swing when she fell forward, but he still connected hard, scraping the end sharply across the swell of her hip.

"Shit!" She landed hard on her knees and rolled onto her uninjured side with a hiss. Lifting her arm to look down at her side, she could already see blood seeping through the hem of her tank top.

She would have moved the material for a better look but she was prevented from seeing anything by four hands – and none of them were hers.

Kneeling at her front, his right hand pinning her shoulder and keeping her on the mat, John used his left to hike the hem of her tank top up and away from the gash. Knees pressing against her backside, Ronon's right hand held her hip steady while his left thumb pulled down the edge of her track pants.

"Nice swing." John glared at Ronon.

"Way to distract her." Ronon glared back.

"Hey…" Jen muttered, trying to lift her upper body off the mat so she could see the damage. Her hip stung like hell.

Both men ignored her protest.

"That's gonna need stitches." John frowned, his fingers brushing the edge of the cut.

"Is not." Ronon growled, and Jen hissed when his fingers prodded the side of her hip, sending a shooting spark of pain down her leg.

"Ow!" She exclaimed, wriggling her arm in between theirs and trying to lift her head. She shoved John's hand off her shoulder and slapped Ronon's fingers away from the wound. Then she slapped John's fingers off the edge of her shirt and yanked Ronon's thumb out of her waist band. Lifting herself up onto her knees, with the added and unnecessary help of two sets of hands, she angled her head and tried to see the damage done. With the blood soaking her waistband she couldn't really determine anything other than the fact that she had about a three inch gash along the side of her hip.

A gash that was most likely going to need stitches.

"Crap." She muttered.

"Come on, Doc. Let's get you to the infirmary." John stood up hooked his arm under her left, while Ronon's fingers tucked firmly around her right. Together they guided her to her feet.

Jen tried to keep looking at her hip, but discovered the angle was almost impossible while she was being sandwiched between the pair of alpha males who were having a heated argument about carrying her.

"I a perfectly capable of walking on my own!" She insisted, yanking her arms away from them both, and limping slowly forward, with both hands clamped firmly against her side. She hissed through her teeth with each movement of her right hip, making it two full steps before Ronon had her up off the ground.

"Ronon…" She frowned, hanging her left arm over his shoulder and out behind him so she didn't drip any blood on his shirt. "Put me down. You're going to get all covered in blood."

His answer was something resembling a disgusted snort.

"I hope that doesn't scar." John jabbed his thumb on the transporter screen, shooting them towards the infirmary.

"It will not scar." Jen muttered, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Although…" She nodded and angled her head down to where her right hand was still clutching at her side. "Might be kind of cool."

John walked sideways beside them, his scowl deepening as he looked pointedly around at the side and back of her head. "Did you crack your skull when you fell?"

"I did not fall." She snorted disgustedly, then glanced from Ronon to John, not bothering to hide the silly smile. "And I'm just saying that a little scar from sparring is kinda neat."

"Scars are not… neat." Ronon growled as they turned the corner into the infirmary.

"Pot to kettle…" John muttered, waving Marie over as Ronon carried Jen towards an empty bed.

"Party pooper." Jen answered. "I'm just saying… for me to tell people I got it from fighting…"

"We were not fighting!" Ronon exclaimed, lowering her onto the bed.

"Fighting!" Marie rushed around the bed, taking in Jen's blood soaked side with a gasp. "Who was… oh lord, what did you do!" The nurse glared from Ronon to John.

"Hey! I didn't do anything!" John held his hands up in protest.

"Ow!" Jen hissed, when Marie's fingers probed the injury.

"What on Earth were you doing?" Marie exclaimed, not bothering to raise her head from her examination. "Oh, you're going to need stitches."

"Told ya." John frowned, dropping his hands onto his hips, then changed his mind and threaded them across the front of his chest.

Ronon exhaled with a sharp hiss and turned the full force of his glare towards the Colonel.

"Testosterone outside, please." Marie waved them away, and both men stepped away from the bed, eyes on each other.

"Hey!" Jen sat up and pointed between the two of them with a blood smeared finger. "This is no one's fault but my own. Let it go."

John blinked then turned back to Ronon.

Ronon stared at her for a moment before turning to scowl at the Colonel.

Both men disappeared into the hallway.

Jen sighed and flopped back down onto the bed. She looked at Marie. "Better hurry up so you can restock that suture tray. I have a feeling you're about to have two more patients."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Takes place after Brain Storm. Don't let the prologue fool you. This is an angsty tale. **

* * *

Ronon angled his head away from the table where Rodney and Jennifer sat, her laughter kicking into him and making his stomach squirm around the early morning meal he'd just finished.

No, he wasn't bitter.

It just hurt more than it should have.

He pushed away from the table, and removed his tray, dropping it onto the cart with the rest of the dirty dishes. With a sigh of dissatisfaction he headed to the gate room, thankful for something to distract him while the team was on scheduled downtime.

Solen said he had important information to share… but important to the ex-Satedan military man now, was most definitely not the same thing as important used to be.

Although, Ronon supposed he did owe Solen… the Satedan had helped John and the others track Ronon down when Tyre turned him over to the Wraith. And a day-trip to Belkan to see what the hell Solen thought was so urgent _would_ give him time away from the city… and time away from them. Away from her… Away from everything.

Although he couldn't really fault McKay for being happy. If the situation was reversed…

Ronon shrugged it off with a shake of his head.

The situation wasn't reversed.

And he was most certainly not happy about it.

How could she…

No.

He wasn't going to get into it again.

Adjusting his coat, he hung his thumb into the belt above his blaster and nodded up to Chuck. While he watched the dialing sequence on the gate, Ronon felt the walls of the great city crowding in, his body aching for open sky.

Time.

He needed time.

With out a glance behind he stepped through the gate and was gone.

* * *

Solen Sincha balanced on the back legs of his chair, a half empty mug of some local concoction gripped in his left hand.

Ronon dropped into the empty chair across the table, and frowned at the other man. "All right. I'm here."

Solen blinked. "You always were prompt."

Ronon snorted. "What's the urgency?"

"What?" Solen sat forward, the front legs of his chair clomping onto the wooden floorboards. "No time to visit with an old friend?"

"You're not my friend." Ronon growled.

"Nor am I old." Solen smirked, toasting the air with his mug.

Ronon snorted then smiled, slapping his hands down onto the table top and leaning back in the chair.

"Don't get comfortable." Solen shook his head, then angled his chin towards the staircase near the back of the half-empty tavern. "You have company."

Ronon frowned, his hand automatically landing on the hilt of his blaster while he stared at the landing at the top of the stairs.

"Not that kind of company." Solen snorted and leaned back in his chair, returning to his reclined position, balancing on the back two legs. He took a swig from the mug, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Back room on the left."

Ronon stood, and made his way around the empty tables to the stairs, taking them two at a time. Out of site of the main room, he withdrew his blaster, and hugged the wall as he walked silently towards the two rooms at the back of the second floor.

Solen said left, so Ronon's first move was to check the one on the right.

Empty, except for the furniture.

He hesitated in front of the door on the left, then angled his body to the side, reaching around himself to grasp the knob. Turning it softly, he released the latch and swung the door in wide, angling his head to see into the room before placing his body inside the doorway.

Other than the hooded and cloaked figure staring out the room's only window, he could sense no danger. The figure was slight. Short and slender. A woman.

"I hear you're looking for me?" He announced, stepping cautiously into the room.

She gasped at the sudden sound of his voice and spun from the window to face him.

His blaster moved before she finished turning. Upright and direct. Aimed at her head. Because despite the shadows of light from the cowl hiding her hair and features, he knew that face.

The face he'd left behind in the mess hall when he'd stepped through the gate.

Jennifer.

* * *

"Who the hell are you!" He growled, kicking the door closed and stepping further into the room.

"Ronon, it's me." She said moving her hands towards her hood.

"Stop!" He ordered. "Hands where I can see them!"

She held them palm out, hovering in the air beside her ears. He could see the tremble in her limbs and ignored the pull it sent through to his heart.

"I said…" he repeated, moving closer, his blaster trained on her while he yanked the hood unceremoniously off her head. "Who are you!?"

He stepped back, and stared at the woman in front of him. The cloak covered a woven brown shift – a thin dress – that draped straight down to the toes of her leather boots. Non military boots. Non Earth boots. Her hair was pulled back in a messy twist, with loose pieces falling around her face and shoulders. Her skin was pale, a dark purple bruise visible along the bottom left side of her jaw. Hazel eyes – wide – stared unblinking at the barrel of his blaster. He could see her chest moving frantically beneath the open edges of the cloak while she tried to control her breathing.

It was her.

It had to be.

But that would be impossible.

"Please." She whispered, then cleared her throat, forcing her eyes to shift away from his blaster, and focus on his face. "I can explain."

"Explain why I shouldn't shoot you right now?" He exhaled sharply, his senses tuning into any outside sounds – but the hallway was quiet. He kept his eyes on her.

She involuntarily stepped back with a soft gasp, her back colliding with the window.

He saw the fear in her eyes as she returned to staring at the blaster.

"Ronon, please."

"Stop saying my name like you know me." He growled.

"But I do…" She whispered, then swallowed hard. "Okay. Just… please… give me a chance… to… to tell you how… why… why I'm here."

She lowered her arms slowly, and he let her.

"The Jennifer you have on Atlantis…" She began, taking a deep, shaky breath. "Isn't me. She's… she's a clone."

"Not good enough." Ronon stepped closer with a growl, his blaster powering up and holding steady inches from her forehead.

"Ohgod…" She exhaled, her eyes squeezing shut. "Nonono… please…" She begged, her body scrunching further back into the window sill. "Ronon… I can prove it… I can prove it…" She chanted, her voice cracking, matching the tears that fell freely down her cheeks. She scrambled to pull away at the cloak, flinging the edge aside while she hiked the hem of her skirt up, pulling it higher past the boots and up over her bare legs. Shaking fingers gathered material as she lifted the bottom hem of the dress up over her hip.

Ronon ignored the fact that the woman standing in front of him was crying, clearly terrified of what he might do to her. He ignored the fact that she was hauling her dress up, her fingers frantically pulling at the material. He ignored the fact that she was undeniably naked beneath the lower half of the dress as she turned into the window, her face buried against the glass.

Because he had eyes for only one thing.

The small, straight, fine white line, sharply visible in the bright light spilling in through the clear glass window.

A tiny, narrow, three inch scar that slashed across the pale, bare skin of her right hip.

A scar he himself put there barely two months earlier.

"Please." She cried quietly against the glass. "It's me. I swear it's me…"

She jumped when his fingers yanked at the cloth she held tightly, dropping the dress back over her naked lower half. He lowered the blaster and stepped back, but he did not put it away. When she turned to face him, cheeks wet and eyes wide, he fought the urge to reach out to her.

"Talk." He finally managed.

She nodded, but didn't move from her position scrunched against the window frame. "You remember… remember… on the Daedalus…" She began, swiping at her cheeks.

Ronon immediately noticed the broken and chipped fingernails, cut to the quick and dusted with dirt. She left smudges behind on her cheeks as she wiped away the tracks of tears.

"On the Daedalus." She repeated, her voice fast and low. "When I… turned myself in? Todd… Todd didn't release me… You didn't rescue me. You didn't." She shook her head quickly, jumbling the words. "Todd released _her_. A clone. You rescued… you rescued a clone. He made me give up my clothes… he removed my… my… transmitter… She pulled the edge of her sleeve back, showing him the faded remnants of a small scar – the exact location of the transmitter. "He took me with them. You…" She sniffed, then swallowed. "You took her home. Not me."

"How do I know you're not... a clone?" He finally asked, his mind forming itself around her words. He adjusted his fingers on the grip of his blaster, but kept it pointed at the floor.

She didn't miss the motion. Her eyes dropped to his hands then back to his face. She sniffed again. "Todd obtained my DNA… somehow… when we went for the preliminary meeting… on his ship. He made… he made a… a clone. Another me. After that. Based on that point in time. She didn't…" Jen shook her head, her eyes wide, pleading. "She wouldn't have taken sparring lessons." Jen finished softly, her eyes pleading. "We… you and I… we never started until after we got back."

Ronon blinked, piecing together what he was seeing, with what he knew to be true. He'd left Jennifer in the mess hall with Rodney. Yet Jennifer was here in front of him. He'd injured her sparring… the scar clearly evident. She'd almost seemed like a different person when they'd returned from the Daedalus… two women in the same time... a clone made sense...

Carson was Carson.

Jennifer could be Jennifer.

But which one was real?

Jennifer was back on Atlantis. Happy. Healthy. Laughing with Rodney over breakfast in the mess hall.

This Jennifer looked as though she hadn't eaten in weeks, her pale skin dirty and wan, and her eyes were filled with terror and exhaustion.

Damn it, he needed more. He needed to know what the hell was going on. It _was_ physically possible. It would explain the existence of a double. But which one? And why?

"If you're the real Dr. Keller, why not just go back to the city? I'm sure once there they'd clear it all up."

"I don't have my IDC."

"We have trading partners. They could have contacted us. Why so secretive?"

"I can't go back." She shook her head frantically. "Not yet. Not like this."

"If you're the real Doctor, they'd prove it fast enough. Carson showed up as a clone."

"No… you don't understand. I can't go back. Not yet. And not before I know what he's really up to. This can't be the only reason…"

"Why not Sheppard." He interrupted, stepping closer. "Or McKay. Telya. Woolsey. Why'd you go through Solen. Why ask for me?"

"Because I need _your_ help!" She said desperately. "Not theirs."

He snorted. Help indeed. Probably thought she could play him.

A sudden beeping had him out of his retrospect and his blaster back in her face. She squealed and cowered against the window.

"What the hell is that!" He growled.

"A timer!" She held her hands up beside her face. "In my pocket! Just a timer… I only have a few more minutes…"

Spinning her roughly around to face the wall, Ronon leaned against her, pinning her beneath his forearm while he used his free hand to search the pockets of her cloak. He pulled out a small metal square, and stepped back. He held the object up, long and black, with a tiny digital screen, it's glowing green digits counting down. Less than 10 minutes.

"What's it for? Your friends to arrive?" He tossed it away, and it skittered loudly across the room, coming to rest near the dresser.

"No." She shook her head, afraid to leave her position against the wall. "I only have ten minutes to get back to the gate."

"Why?" He growled.

"Because I can't stay more than two hours."

He narrowed his gaze.

She turned around to face him, moving her hands towards her neck and the fastener of her cloak. "Please." She started to cry again, tears tracking down through smudges on her cheeks. "You're the only one who'll understand." Her fingers frantically pulled apart the ties on the cloak and she dropped it to the floor. Turning back around she grabbed the straps of the shift and yanked them down over her shoulders, dropping it to her waist, exposing the bare skin of her backside.

He stepped forward, starting to tell her to stop whatever the hell it was she thought she was doing. Then she moved her hair away from the back of her neck and he froze.

Oxygen left the room as Ronon stared at the puckered skin on her spine between her shoulder blades, the sharp scarred area still painfully pink.

Her back jerked with each sob as she stared at him over her shoulder.

"Please, Ronon, please!" She wept. "You have to get it out of me… You have to get it out. I can't reach it. I can't do it myself. I tried to get help but no one would touch it. Please. I don't know what else to do…" She turned her head away, her forehead rolling against the wall as hid her face from his view, one arm cupping the front of the dress over her breasts, the other holding back her hair.

Ronon inhaled sharply, clearing everything away but the truth he saw carved into the back of the woman in front of him.

She was carrying a Wraith tracking device.

And she was running out of time.

They both were.

For he had to decide.

Help her.

Or leave her.

His heart twisted the answer out in a long sharp squeeze.

Leaving her was never – nor would ever be - an option.

Clone or not.

He stepped forward and reached out, his fingertips pushing against the small rise in her chilled skin, feeling the hard casing beneath, confirming for himself it truly was there.

She flinched at his touch, bumping her head when she jerked forward in an attempt to crawl further into the wall.

She was – he now understood – not crying in an attempt to draw him in. To fool him into believing some sob story. To trap him.

She was crying because she was fully and completely terrified.

He stepped back and dropped his hand, his mind working through a dozen possible scenarios and coming up with only one.

His fate had been sealed the minute he'd seen her face.

"Get dressed." He ordered. "We need to leave."


	3. Chapter 3

Jen was afraid to look at him.

She wasn't sure if it was just sheer terror at finally seeing an exit to the horror that had been her life for these past weeks, or knowing it would never truly be over until she could find out why, or if it was simply the fact that his expression was so closed… so guarded.

So… angry.

He might believe she really was herself.

Or he might not.

Regardless – he'd at least believed the one thing he knew to be true.

She needed the tracker removed as soon as possible.

And it was probably that reason alone that drove him.

It would have to do.

She cursed herself for crying in front of him. For falling apart so quickly when she'd rehearsed her speech a thousand times. She was stronger than that.

But just seeing him… hearing his voice… pulled down every barrier she thought she'd erected and smashed her resolve like a piece of cosmetic glass.

One look at him and she lost all sense of self.

_He was here._

She'd nearly fainted at the sight of him.

God she'd missed him.

Missed them all.

But it was his voice she longed to hear. His strength. His knowledge. His presence.

She needed him.

And he'd come.

He was truly here.

And somehow, she knew… wished… prayed… it was going to be okay.

As they hurried towards the gate, she couldn't stop herself from talking – babbling – unable to stand the silence. His silence. She'd had nothing but the sound of her own voice for the past few weeks, why stop now?

She apologized for not listening to him on the Daedalus.

She pleaded with him to believe her. To forgive her.

She explained everything she could to make him believe – because she could still see the hardness in his eyes. The cold glare he gave her whenever she turned around.

It hurt so much she had to stop looking.

Instead… she talked… all the way from the village to the DHD.

She told him everything she could think of, mixed with descriptions of Todd's great plan. If he had her working on the 'cure' that turned Wraith into humans, he could have another _her_ working on the cure for the Hoffan plague. It would be win-win. On one hand, he could turn his enemies into humans and use them for food, and on the other, he could cure the infected humans, and... use them for food. It was an all 'round good plan in Todd's books. But she didn't believe for a minute that it was the only thing he wanted. He wouldn't have gone to such lengths… he had to want something else. Did the other Jennifer know she was a clone? Was she after something else? Had she been pre-programmed with some kind of mission? Todd already knew where Atlantis was… so it had to be research. Or information.

She asked the questions aloud while she talked, not waiting for an answer, not expecting one.

She told Ronon how she'd spent weeks on Todd's ship until some kind of issue between factions of his alliance forced him to drop her at a planetary base with a small contingent of guards. But not before she'd been outfitted with the Wraith's version of a GPS.

Her story faltered and fell into the uncomfortable silence when they reached the gate. Afraid to look at Ronon, she stared down at the console. "I'm out of addresses." She confessed, her face downcast. "I don't know where to go that I haven't already been."

Ronon stepped up and punched in a location.

She almost sighed with relief to see he used his right hand. His gun hand. He was no longer holding his blaster.

Maybe he did believe her?

She chanced a glance but his expression was still distant.

She looked quickly away.

Time. He just needed time. She'd prove it to him. She'd prove it to them all. It would be easy to see which one of them was real.

Because she knew.

She _knew_ she was real.

Unlike Carson – who'd believed himself to be the true Carson - Jen knew without a doubt. She'd checked her own DNA on Todd's ship. She wasn't a clone. Her DNA had proper degradation for a woman of her age. But she couldn't take the information with her. She had no proof to show Ronon other than a tiny scar, and her word. On Atlantis, she could prove it. But, out here...

With his hand gripping her upper arm, he guided her through the event horizon. At least with him beside her he wasn't deep sixing her through a space gate.

She almost giggled in horror of that single thought.

He wasn't going to help her.

He was going to kill her.

Destroy the clone.

She stumbled when they got to the other side and nearly fell, her knees weak at the thought that it was all for naught.

He pulled her upright, then quickly released her arm, leaving her to stand next to an overgrown DHD while the gate died behind them. The planet was hot… warm and sunny… huge trees towering overhead, crowding the gate area. Humidity tickled across her skin and she instantly thought of removing the cloak. The hissing buzz of insects slowly returned as she looked around. It would be difficult to come through this gate with a ship – any ship – with trunks and branches so close to the ring. The encroaching vegetation wrapped itself around the DHD, burying the buttons beneath the ivy. She stepped around it, brushing the leaves aside with her fingers, confirming the buttons were indeed still there.

When she glanced up at Ronon, his expression was just as closed, but his eyes held a hint of something... different. Darker. Intense.

She looked down at his hand… which was once again holding his blaster.

She blinked back up to his face, the prayer leaving her lips in a whisper. She could feel the burn returning to her eyes while he stared her down.

"For what it's worth…" She whispered, her chest squeezing the words out. "I'm sorry I made you do this."

He blinked. Then raised his gun.

She closed her eyes, her breath leaving her body while she waited for the pain that was sure to come.

He didn't believe her.

He'd brought her here to kill her.

She had time to breathe once more before the blackness came.

* * *

Ronon stared at the small transmitter in his hand, smears of blood sliding across the metal framework and dripping into his already blood streaked palm.

Her blood.

Jennifer's blood.

He stood up and turned to the DHD, dialing an address he knew would buy her time. Buy them both time. When the event horizon stabilized he tossed the transmitter through. He waited while the gate fizzled and disappeared before turning back towards her.

Dropping to his knees, he pressed a folded square of cloth over the wound, holding it firmly against the long, sharp cut he'd made in her skin.

He'd known from her expression what she thought.

He'd known.

And it had nearly killed him.

For with everything she'd been through, she'd suddenly thought she'd actually lost. That he hadn't believed her. That he wasn't going to help her.

She'd believed in that instant, he was going to kill her.

It almost crushed him.

Then she'd gone and apologized for making him have to do it.

He'd wanted to strangle her, hug her, shake her until she realized just how much of a preposterously stupid thing it had been to say.

Then he'd nearly laughed aloud to think of just how much of a _Jennifer_ thing it had been to say.

And in that moment he hadn't cared if she was a clone or not.

She was… regardless… the same stubborn wench he'd loved.

He still loved.

Now, staring down at her naked backside, he quickly swapped the cloth for another, dropping the blood soaked one into the dirt beside his knee with the others. Holding the new piece firmly against the wound, pressing the edges of her torn skin together, his eyes moved down the length of her spine to where the edges of his coat covered her lower back and legs.

He'd shredded her shift for bandages, knowing he'd need enough to cover the wound and keep the area clean. His leather vest would do no good – the material of her dress the only thing available. Her cloak was now filthy since he'd used it to cover the ground where she lay.

He'd cursed his lack of foresight - not gathering medical supplies before they'd left. He'd done what he could with what he had. Returning would be easy enough. He would simply wrap her in his coat when he'd finished and take her back to Belkan.

It was while he was cutting the cloth away he'd discovered the battered state of her backside. She had bruises on her sides and lower back to match the one on her jaw. Faded, but still fresh enough they'd hurt if prodded. He wanted to know what happened. Needed to know. And would ask as soon as she awoke.

He'd checked her elsewhere – and found nothing worse. Just scratches and blisters. Broken nails and scrapes. Evidence of time spent living with no amenities. And no shelter.

He'd checked the scar on her hip. Several times.

In part to prove to himself that he was right. That it really was there.

That it really was her.

When he had the bleeding stemmed enough, he pressed the last clean piece of cloth against the wound and cross wrapped a large, long strip of material around her shoulders and under her arms. He secured it as best he could until he could raid Solen's supplies for bandages, clean water, and a needle and thread.

He should take her back to Atlantis.

But he couldn't.

She was right.

She couldn't go back there yet.

Not until they knew why.

Adjusting his coat up around her shoulders he rolled her gently onto her side, pulling the edges of his jacket around until she was completely enveloped in the folds of the material. She looked so small… so frail… quiet and still like a sleeping child.

He cursed the Ancients and scooped her up, turning towards the DHD.

Punching in the address for Belkan, he held her close, watching the event horizon stabilize while he plotted all manners of death to Todd.


	4. Chapter 4

Jen felt the warmth of the blanket first… the haze of sleep scattering slowly into the place of dreams… leaving her fuzzy… but comfortably numb. Then the ache started, cutting into the desire to return to sleep, and pulling her back into consciousness. She felt the burn. A sharp itching and tightness between her shoulder blades and briefly wondered why she was sleeping on her stomach.

She never slept on her stomach.

She cracked open one eye.

Room?

This wasn't her room.

This was… The tavern.

Balkan?

Why was she back on Balkan?

She moved her arm and instantly regretted the sharp pull that shot through her upper body. But with the pain came clarity and she remembered everything.

She shot up with a gasp, fighting the fear that ripped through her for falling asleep. She hadn't set the timer. Dizziness swarmed through her head as fought free of the sheet and blanket. Material tangled her legs and her bare feet hit the floor awkwardly. Her ears buzzed sharply as the room swam and she felt herself falling. Warm hands grabbed for her arms and she shrieked, swinging out as she fell.

"Jennifer, stop." Ronon's command cut through the terror and she gasped, feeling the cold wooden floorboards through her palms and knees. Her body shivered violently, the sheet twisted around her waist and legs.

It wasn't until a blanket landed around her body that she realized why she was so cold.

She was completely naked beneath the thin layer of cotton.

Her hands grabbed for the edges of the quilt and she scrambled forward with a soft cry. Her heart hammered in her chest, the dizziness swaying her movements as she half crawled, half slid towards the wall, wedging herself into the corner. She could feel the heat in her face as she looked up at the man standing a few feet away. She tightened the blanket around her body and stared at him wide-eyed, her breath coming in short bursts while she struggled to keep her heart inside her chest. The adrenaline faded with the realization that he'd stayed.

He hadn't left her.

He hadn't…

She buried her face in the blanket, embarrassed to no end to think she'd actually thought… God, what he must think…

"_I think_," he answered softly. "You were scared."

"My clothes?" She finally managed to croak out.

"I needed bandages." He replied, then angled his chin towards the small dresser on the far wall and the folded pants, shirt, and overcoat Solen had helped appropriate. "I got you more."

She blinked up at him. _Bandages. He'd said bandages._ "You got it out?" She whispered.

He nodded.

Jen didn't realize just how badly she'd wanted it out… wanted it gone… wanted the safety of anonymity until she saw him nod. Relief washed over her with such a wave she had to close her eyes to keep from sliding further down the wall in a pool of blubbering tears. Tipping her head back she slumped sideways against the wall, wedging her right shoulder further into corner. She could barely contain the tears at knowing she was truly free of the horrible device. She swallowed several times before she was able to find her voice.

"Thank you." She finally managed, barely louder than a whisper.

"You're welcome." He answered, his voice closer.

She opened her eyes and looked up. Ronon squatted in front of her. "You better not have pulled my stitches." He said softly, lifting a large mug off the table beside the bed and holding it out to her.

Jen fought the edges of a smile. "That used to be my line."

"It still is." He said firmly.

Still tangled in the sheet, and now draped in the huge blanket, she tucked the edges of the quilt under her arms and wriggled out a free hand. Accepting the mug, she felt a shock of warmth in her hand as it was sandwiched between the side of the mug and his fingers, as he helped her steady it against the trembling in her fingertips.

"Soup." He answered, once she had control of the mug. He rocked back on his heels and turned until he was seated against the wall beside her, sitting between her and the bed. Close enough to be a presence, but far enough he wasn't touching her. Part of her wanted him closer… touching… but she remained where she was.

As did he.

She lifted the mug to her nose, the deep earthen smell tingling her nostrils. Her stomach immediately burned in anticipation and she raised it to her mouth. The warm liquid fell quickly, and without care of how it must look, she downed the entire thing.

Ronon watched her drain the mug with barely a breath and silently cursed himself for not realizing just how hungry she must be.

"I'll get more." He offered, reaching for the empty mug and moving to stand.

"No." She grasped his wrist tightly, the desperation in her voice reaching down into his soul. "Don't leave." She said quickly, then released his arm with a snap and quickly hid her hand beneath the blanket. "I mean… I'm fine. Too much will just make me sick."

He saw the fear in her eyes and lowered himself back onto the floor. Reaching out he dropped the mug onto the table and settled himself back against the wall, hearing her shaky exhale. He straightened his right leg out, and bent his left, propping his arm on his knee in an attempt to look more relaxed than he felt. The position suddenly reminded him of their time locked in her infirmary and he felt a sudden urge to lean closer... offer her his shoulder again. Let her know he was there... as long as she needed him to be. But he held still... not wanting to spook her any more than she already was.

They sat in silence for a few moments before he asked one of the hundreds of questions bouncing around in his mind.

"Todd knows where Atlantis is." He reasoned, glancing sideways at her. "Why the tracker?"

She rocked her head side to side against the wall. "It wasn't Todd."

His head turned.

"It was one of the… ah… members of his… alliance." She shuddered, pulling her legs in tighter against her body.

"Why?"

She shook her head, and turned towards him, her eyes lost in the memory. He watched the way her fingers shook slightly as she brushed the wayward bangs off her forehead. "Insurance? None of them trust each other. I think he wanted to make sure Todd kept his end of the deal and cured the virus. He seemed pretty adimant I understood it wasn't his choice that I was there. I kind of got the impression he wasn't too happy with Todd. I think he realized that... um... well... you guys wouldn't be too happy when you found out. Apparently they don't like that we keep blowing up their hive ships. He said it was to make sure _he_ could find me if Todd screwed up." She shrugged and closed her eyes briefly. "All I know is it hurt like freekin hell."

"They left you… awake?"

Her eyes sharpened into focus and looked directly into his. She shook her head and snorted softly. "Of course."

Anger boiled out from deep inside and escaped with a low growl. He took a deep steadying breath and exhaled slowly. Vengeance later. Answers now.

"Where'd he get the technology?"

Jen inhaled sharply. "He didn't. I think he stumbled across one of Michael's old labs. In fact... I'm sure of it. Some of the research I found looked too much like Carson's level of detail. And I found mention of the cloning procedure causing side-effects. My Wraith physiology knowledge sucks, but that's what it looked like. I think.. somehow... if he's using Michael's procedure, then Michael made it work only if the clones carried the hoffan virus. He used it on Carson to keep him safe from wraith feedings - at least that's what Carson thought. But somehow, Michael included it as part of the function of creating the clone, because the clone doesn't get sick from the virus. They just carry it. Otherwise they could just clone a food supply. I think the fall out is worse. Clones carry the Hoffan virus. So they need both the cure, and the clone. Without more research, there's no way I can be sure. We could test the... other me... but... I just didn't have enough time to study it without having to hide what I was doing. I definitely don't think the other Wraith what Todd was up to. He kept me pretty isolated. They all knew I was... well... me... but they never mentioned a... a replacement. I sure as hell didn't mention it! I didn't want them to have any reason to think I wasn't the only one who could help them. Figured it was probably the only reason they didn't just... kill me. I got the impression that Todd was trying to, you know, keep them out of it for a reason. I just don't know what that reason was. Or why." She shook her head and let out a long sigh.

"How'd you get away?"

She smiled at him, a true smile, and for a brief moment her eyes held a sparkle of the woman he ached for. "I told you Todd didn't know about the sparring lessons. He um… he thought I wouldn't try anything."

"But you did."

She nodded, her smile wider. "When he sent me to the lab on the planet, he sent six guards. But only one guard would come into the lab to check on me at a time. I totally kicked his ass. I wish you could have seen it."

"So do I." He answered. _In more ways than one. _"Six guards?"

"I have been listening, you know." She said with a snort, leaning over to ram him briefly with her shoulder before straightening back up. "I took his stunner."

He couldn't stop the smile from twisting up the edges of his mouth. "I see."

She nodded. "I shot the second one outside the door, and… then the other two at the end of the corridor. It took me about ten minutes just to find the exit, damn corridors all look the same. The last two guards weren't expecting me either." Then she shrugged and glanced away, her smile faltering then fading with a soft sigh. "Then I ran for the gate. I almost dialed Atlantis… luckily I remembered the... stupid tracker... and picked one of the uninhabited planets I could remember, first."

"The underestimated you." He said quietly.

Jen shook her head. "They underestimated _you_."

He frowned.

She pursed her lips and looked away, staring blankly at a spot on the wall across the room. "One of the things you learn as a doctor... is how to listen. How to take the life story your patient is telling you and... pick out the important pieces. Pull out the facts that matter and discard the rest. You hear everything, but you have to listen for that one thing that might be the key to making them better. The key to finding the cure." She sighed softly and angled her head, glancing at him from beneath her bangs. "You never talk about..." she licked her lips. "About when you were a runner. Not directly. But... I'm a good listener. Better than most. And sometimes, you let things slip." She offered him a faint smile.

"Slip?"

"When we were... sparring... and you would explain why I had to stand a certain way, or move a certain way. I started to think more and more about what you learned... and why. I guess that's when I began to... to listen. Not just... hear you... but really listen. Like... in mission briefings, when you and John discuss strategy? Or... when you and Teyla talk about different tribes of people you know and why they do things the way they do? Or when you're telling Rodney not to do something that would get him killed?" She snorted softly. "You don't realize you're doing it, do you?"

He shook his head. No. He hadn't realized he was doing it. And he hadn't realized she'd been paying such rapt attention to him. He hadn't realized it at all.

She nodded quickly, reciting things back to him as though reading from a manual. "Don't stay in one place more than a few hours. Don't steal food people would gladly pay for. Don't turn down a free meal. If they're eating it, it's not poisoned. If you don't find a village within twenty minutes of the gate, turn back. Deep tunnels can sometimes block the transmitter signal. Don't bother hiding your tracks - they're not looking at your feet, they're using a scanner. Um... Magnetic rock confuses their scanners. Tavern keepers aren't to be trusted. What else?" She pursed her lips, then smiled as she remembered more. "Get new gate addresses from fellow travellers. Don't drink non-moving water. If you can't out-run them, out-wit them."

Ronon stared at her, unbelieving. His expression must have lost all semblence of practiced composure for she took one look at him and laughed softly. The sound washed over him like a warm spring rain. She was crazy. Insane. Brave. Strong. Beautiful.

And _he_ was completely stunned.

"Don't look so surprised." She smiled. "You're a good teacher."

"Apparently." He finally managed to answer. "You learned... all that... from me."

She nodded. "Indirectly, yes. Like I said. I'm a good listener."

He shook his head, still unable to fully believe what he'd just heard.

"What?" She smiled.

"Sheppard's Marines could take a lesson or two from you."

She snorted, dropping her head back against the wall to stare up at the ceiling. "Lessons in pathetically horrible luck and near-death-experiences 101. Coming right up."

He shook his head. "You outwitted them, Jennifer. Trained soldiers could do no less."

She rolled her eyes and frowned, angling her head back towards him. "Ronon, it's only been ten days."

"Only." He repeated, surprised. He hadn't asked her how long. He'd assumed two days. Maybe three. But ten?

She made a face. "Barely a blink to what you had to go through."

"Hey." He frowned, angling his shoulder so he could turn closer towards her. "There are runners who don't last a day."

"Runner." She snorted. "You say it like it's a title. Me? Panicked scurrying maybe. Frantic bursts followed by sporadic naps in the bushes. No running from Hunters. It was just a leash. A horribly scary and incredibly terrifying leash, but a leash none the less. It was their way of keeping tabs on their... property. They weren't trying to kill me, they were just trying to-"

"Catch you." He answered sternly. "It is no different. You did fine."

"I did not." She snorted. "The first thing I did was try to find someone – anyone – who'd get word back to the city."

"A smart move."

She took a deep breath. "Except no one would listen. No one but Solen. I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay him for his help. He's the only one who believed me."

He furrowed his brow and waited for her to explain.

"I guess without the uniform, and accompanying marines, I was just some crazy woman on a mission. Solen remembered me. Well, he remembered _you_, anyway..." She finished with a soft smile.

He shook his head. "No one would help?"

"No. And the minute I tried to get someone to help get that… that… thing out of me…"

"They made you leave."

She angled her head. "I can't really blame them."

"I can." His fingers reached for the left side of her jawbone, feathering lightly across the fading bruise.

"Actually that didn't have anything to do with removing the tracking device." She answered, her fingers pressing his hand against her cheek. She closed her eyes briefly and leaned against his palm. "What he wanted in trade for food I wasn't willing to give."

"What!" Her eyes opened automatically when his hand jerked against her face. He held the fury in check and concentrated on breathing.

She smiled again, and his stomach righted itself.

"Don't worry." She grinned. "I broke his nose."

He exhaled. "You did."

"Told you I was paying attention during our lessons." She nodded, dropping her arm and releasing his hand. "Punched him right in the face. But… then I felt bad. So I set his nose back in place for him."

Ronon reluctantly moved his fingers away from the side of her jaw, and gave her a slow grin. "You did, huh."

"I left with a loaf of bread, two bricks of cheese, and a bottle of the most disgusting wine." Then she laughed and buried her chin in the blankets. "I guess he felt guilty."

"Hmm." He answered, trying to picture it in his mind, then deciding he was much better off not knowing. The more he knew… the more he was going to want to find the man and show him more pain than just a broken nose.

They sat in a moderately comfortable silence before another question popped to the front of his thoughts and he let it out.

"You should have asked for a doctor." He blinked over at her. "Sheppard. A team of Marines. A jumper. Hell, half the city would have been here in full battle mode if you'd called."

The expression on her face shifted into a lost, sad, look and her cheeks pinked while she chewed her lower lip. "I'm sorry." She whispered with a shake of her head. She rolled her face away and stared up at a spot on the edge of the window a few feet down the wall.

"That's not what I meant." He shifted closer and reached out, gripping her delicate fingers between his larger ones. "I'm not sorry I'm here."

Her fingers squeezed his, but she continued to keep her face averted. "I _am_ sorry, Ronon. For all of this. I wasn't really thinking all that clearly… I guess… I guess I… was just being selfish."

"Selfish?"

She sighed softly, and adjusted the blanket so she could hug her legs, but still keep a frantically tight grip on the fingers of his left hand. Dropping her chin she stared at a spot on the floor. "After we left the Daedalus… Todd… Todd lead me to believe the ship had been destroyed like he'd planned. With everyone on board. He told me everyone was dead. He told me you were dead." She rolled her head to the side and rested her cheek on her knees, looking up at him through a mess of bangs. "I thought it was my fault."

He saw the sadness in her eyes and willed it away. Brushing the hair back from her face with his free hand, he used his thumb to wipe a rogue tear away from the side of her nose. "Nothing was your fault."

She lifted her head, angling her upper body towards his. "I should have listened to you. I didn't. If I'd listened… none of this would have happened. I thought…" she held up her hand to stop him when he opened his mouth to interrupt. "I thought I'd killed you."

"Jennifer…"

"No, Ronon. Please. Let me explain. I don't… I don't want to _not_ say this."

He waited.

"At first I refused to do anything for him. For Todd. For his alliance." She said with a slight smile. "I couldn't think straight. I figured he'd already killed you all… why bother? I told him to send me home, or kill me there. Because I wasn't going to make his life any easier."

"I doubt he was very… happy… with that."

"No." She shuddered. "He wasn't."

"What happened?"

"He said I'd make a tasty snack." She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. "I told him I hoped I gave him heartburn." Then her voice dropped. "I thought for a moment he was really going to do it."

"Jennifer."

She opened her eyes. "He didn't obviously. But he did tell me he'd lied about the Daedalus being destroyed… and if I ever wanted to see my home and my friends again… I'd find the cure. I didn't know what to believe. But I know I _wanted_ to believe. I think…" She blinked, then shook her head. "No, I know. I know. When I was running for the gate, all I could think about... was you. I… I had to see for myself. To see you were alive. That you were okay. I just… I just had to see… you." She sighed. "You. Not… John… or Rodney... or Teyla… or anyone else. I mean I do… want to see them… of course. I would have taken anyone. But the one person I _wanted _to see... was you."

"Me."

She nodded, her voice a quiet whisper. "When Todd told me you... made me think you were... dead. Gone. I... fell apart. Completely. I couldn't even begin to think of... being... without you. I'd never even considered it before but to suddenly be faced with the thought that you... weren't there any more? Then to find out you were fine. Alive. I swore if I could ever be given the chance again... I'd tell you."

"Tell me what?"

She snorted, then smiled. "You're really going to make me say it, aren't you?"

He frowned, confused. "Say what?"

She rolled her eyes, and looked away, took a deep breath, muttered _seize the day_, and turned back towards him. She rocked her head, using the motion to flip her unruly hair away from her eyes. Her fingers tightened around his, and her other hand was gripping the edges of the blanket so tightly her knuckles turned white. She bit her bottom lip, released it, swallowed, then blurted out "I love you."


	5. Chapter 5

_I love you._

The words echoed around in Ronon's head with such force he couldn't think, breathe, or remember anything other than those stunning hazel eyes which were watching him intently from beneath a tangled mass of blond bangs.

He knew he was staring.

Gaping.

But he couldn't help it.

Honestly… she'd just said…

_I love you._

Him?

Really?

When she suddenly turned away, it snapped the hypnotizing thread that bound his stunned heart and mind.

"Okay that went about as well as expected…" She mumbled, her face averted as she struggled to shimmy forward and away from her corner of the wall. Away from him.

On his knees in an instant he reached for her, his hands cupping her face as he inhaled her squeak of surprise.

He kissed her – unable to think of anything else. Here. Now. It took only a moment for her to respond – tentative at first. Soft and hesitant. Then with an answering press of warmth and emotion. She struggled up onto her knees and leaned into him, angling her head closer. He felt the pressure of her hands against his chest as she tilted forward, her limbs still trapped in the tangled folds of the bed covering. He let her break away only when oxygen so obviously became a necessity.

Inhaling sharply through her nose, then exhaling with a long shaky breath she slumped against him, her forehead resting against his chin. "Wow." She whispered.

"Mmm." He agreed. He dropped his arms and pulled her gently against him. Rocking back on his heels he lowered himself to the floor and rested his back against the wall, pulling his blanketed bundle onto his lap.

She sagged against him, her head tucked beneath his chin. He could feel her scattered breathing and knew his own heart was beating just as erratically.

"You okay?" He asked after her breathing slowed to a more controlled rhythm.

She nodded, the top of her head rubbing against the underside of his jaw.

"I'm sorry." She snorted. "I didn't really intend to just blurt that out like that."

He smiled up into the ceiling. "I didn't mind."

She tipped her head back, resting her neck against his bicep. He glanced down into her face, noting the anxiety that suddenly appeared.

"What?" He asked, knowing without question that she was doubting herself.

"You didn't mind?" She repeated.

He lowered his head and kissed her again. Soft and quick, unable to stop the half smile from quirking up the corner of his mouth. She was so unsure… so paranoid… it was undeniably adorable.

"No." He answered. "I didn't mind."

"Oh." She whispered, her breath tickling across his lips as he pulled away. "Okay."

"Just… okay?" He asked.

She nodded, then burrowed her head against the side of his neck. "Well, more than okay…"

"How much more?"

The blanket wriggled against his chest and he glanced down, watching her pale fingers reach out from beneath a fold to hold the Wraith bone he wore on the strip of leather around his neck.

"How do you know I'm me?" She asked softly.

Ronon started to laugh, knowing exactly where her mind was taking her. "You think I'd kiss your clone?"

She stiffened in surprise, then relaxed with a shrug. She released the Wraith bone and buried her hand back beneath the blanket. "Do... Did… you?" Her voice was soft and questioning.

Resting his head back against the wall, he closed his eyes, replaying the incident in his mind. "If we'd come back from the Daedalus… if none of this had happened.. would you have had dinner with me?"

Her head rocked slowly back and she stared up at him. He tilted his chin down, watching her worry change to confusion.

"Dinner?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "You would have asked me to dinner?"

He shrugged. "What would you have said?"

She'd been so different that day. Almost like another person. He'd doubted himself. But he'd never doubted her. Until her. Now. This moment. This situation.

_I'm interested in someone else… _

Jen blinked, then shrugged. "Did I have anything to do?"

He shook his head.

"No emergencies in the infirmary?" The corners of her mouth turned up in the beginnings of a smile.

He shook his head.

"No debriefing with Mr. Woolsey?"

He shook his head again.

Her fingers lifted out of the blanket to idly twist the corner of one of his dreadlocks. "No other pressing engagements?" She asked, her smile widening as her eyes flicked up to his.

"No."

"Paperwork?" Her smile brightened.

"No."

"Nothing else of any importance what so ever?" She teased.

"No." He grinned.

She laughed then, and he knew the answer before she gave it. His chest tightened in anticipation as she inhaled slowly, letting her laughter fade into the silence of the room.

"Yes." She said simply. "I would have said yes."

He let out the breath he'd been holding and nodded. "That's how I know."

"Know what?" She frowned.

He almost laughed again to know she'd completely forgotten her initial question.

"That's how I know you are you." He reminded her.

"Oh." Confusion furrowed her brow. "Oh!" She repeated, suddenly realizing what he was answering. "Okay then." She laughed, and settled back down against him. After a brief moment her head snapped back up.

"You asked her, didn't you." She stared up at him, her face serious.

He didn't speak – but his silence was all the answer she needed.

"And… she said no, didn't she." Jen whispered.

He shrugged, then frowned when she smiled, and snuggled in against him.

"Good." She stated firmly.

"Good?" He raised an eyebrow, angling his head trying to see her face.

"Good." She repeated, her fingers toying absently with the Wraith bone again.

"Why good?" He asked, when she didn't clarify.

He could hear the laughter in her voice when she answered, pressing tighter against his chest. "I wouldn't want to have to fight myself."

It took him almost a full minute before he finally realized what it was she'd just said – and he laughed. Shaking his head in disbelief he adjusted his arms, wrapping himself around her. He settled in against the wall, holding her firmly.

Jen sighed softly and curled in against him. In the quiet of the room, she lowered her head, placing her ear against his chest, the steady beat of his heart lulling her. Warming her. Distracting her with his heat and strength.

She tried to force herself to forget everything save for the man and the moment. She tried. She blocked it. Pushed it away. Shoved it, cursed it, and pleaded with it. But it wouldn't leave her alone. Doubt and worry slid quickly into her heart and she felt her stomach twist and roll over. He'd come for her. He'd stayed for her.

But he had to leave.

Someone had taken her life… her existence… her job, her friends, her everything. And that someone… was her. Another her. A different her. But _her_ none-the-less. And that someone else was wearing her clothes. Working in her infirmary. Laughing with her friends. A someone who could be an innocent. Or they could be out to harm. There was no way of knowing if she was the only one. Had Todd cloned anyone else? Was he after something specific? Who else had he told? Who else knew? Were the other Wraith now aware of Atlantis? Was her double serving a more sinister purpose? There were so many questions and she had no place to even start.

She'd had weeks to think.

Weeks to reflect.

And weeks to understand that the only solution was to gather more information. Act only when they were sure what the consequences were. Without knowing what the other her wanted – if she wanted anything – Jen would do more harm than good by suddenly appearing and outing the clone.

_She_ couldn't go back.

_She_ couldn't find out what the clone was up to.

But he could.

He had to.

He had to return to Atlantis.

And he had to leave her here.

Alone.

"What's wrong?" The sound of his voice sent a small shiver down her spine. She hadn't realized how far into him she'd hunched herself until he tightened his hold. Unable to voice the thought that he'd be leaving… she'd only just found him… she simply shook her head.

"Jennifer?" He shifted her in his arms.

She couldn't look at him. She wanted to pretend it was fine. Everything was fine. If she looked… she'd see those eyes… those amazing green eyes… and she'd lose it all over again.

She'd lose him.

Jen hid her face, gripping the edges of his vest, her fingers tucking in against his bare chest. "What time do you have to be back?" She asked, fighting to keep her voice even.

She held her breath until he answered.

"I should go soon."

She swallowed.

"Figure five minutes to the gate, hour to get supplies." He continued. "I'll be back before sundown."

"Ronon, no." She whispered. "You can't stay. You can't just come right back."

Confused, Ronon frowned when her head snapped up. He could see the anguish in her eyes as she shook her head frantically, side to side.

"What." He asked, suddenly concerned. "What's wrong?"

"You're the only one who can keep an eye on her."

Her fingers curled in on themselves and he covered her tightened fist with his hand, pressing her trembling knuckles against the bare skin of his chest.

"Jennifer…" He warned, knowing exactly what she was trying to do. But there was no way he was leaving her here alone.

"Please." She shook her head, her eyes wide. "Don't you think I haven't thought about it? It's _all_ I've thought about. Weeks of trying to come up with any other possible solution. We need to know what's going on. We need to know if he's… if he did this to anyone else. You can't leave them alone with her. You need to go back. I can't… obviously… not until we know it's safe. But you can."

"Jennifer, no. I'm not leaving you alone."

"Ronon…" She began but he cut her off.

"Isn't this what got you into trouble in the first place?" He asked pointedly.

She frowned. "What?"

"_Not_ listening to me?"

Her tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip, and she closed her eyes. Ronon instantly regretted putting the hurt look back on her face.

"I'm sorry." She sighed, dropping her head until her forehead rested against the hollow of his throat.

"No." He shook his head, his arms tightening around her. "I'm the one who should be sorry."

He held her then… thinking of what he could do… should do… wanted to do.

She was right.

And he hated it.

Hated knowing he'd have to leave her here.

Alone…

Without him.

Without anyone.

But there were too many unanswered questions.

If they replaced her – they'd never know.

"Three days." He said gruffly.

Her weight shifted as she raised her head to look up at him.

"Three days." Ronon repeated. "If Solen agrees."

"Solen?"

"I told you I'm not leaving you alone."

"Ah." She nodded. "You're going to ask Solen for help."

"He was... is... a good soldier. He'll keep you safe."

"He's a good friend." She reminded him, her fingertips tickling absently over the tattoo on the side of his neck.

With a shudder he momentarily lost his train of thought until she yawned and dropped her hand.

"You need sleep."

She shrugged lightly, then, after a few moments she sighed. "You have to go."

He exhaled then nodded. "Unless we want them to come looking for me."

She raised her head, a flicker of sadness replaced with a soft smile. Cool fingers landed against the side of his cheek as she leaned closer, her hand guiding his mouth towards hers. She kissed him softly… barely a whisper of pressure as her fingertips moved slowly down the side of his jaw. With a soft sigh she leaned back, and turned away, twisting her body to move off his lap.

Ronon held her tightly, scooping her up and rolling onto his knees. In a fluid motion he lifted her and stepped to the bed where he deposited her slowly down onto the mattress. He straightened, leaving her sitting on the bed, the blanket and sheet tangled around her legs and shoulders, cocooning her.

"You need to listen to Solen." He stepped back. "If he says run… you run."

She nodded her head. "I will." She gave him a half smile, but it faltered and fell too quickly. "Be careful."

"Always." He answered, standing in the middle of the room, his arms hanging uselessly at his side.

He needed to stay.

He had to go.

He turned towards the door, getting a full two steps before turning back. She hadn't moved. She simply sat in silence. Staring at him with her eyes wide, trying so hard to keep him from seeing how frightened she was.

He couldn't leave.

He couldn't stay.

"Lock this behind me." His commanded gruffly, gripping the door handle and pulling it open.

The hallway was empty, filled only with sounds of the raucous supper crowd that drifted up from the tavern below.

"Ronon, wait."

He turned, hoping she would ask him stay. Wanting her to need him to stay. Not wanting to leave. Not now, not ever.

She stood in the middle of the room, her right arm extended, his heavy coat gripped tightly in her fingers as she held it out to him. The blanket had fallen off her shoulder, exposing bare skin from her collarbone down to the fingers that wavered then lowered his coat to her side. Gripping the heavy cloth around her, folds of white sheet mixed in with the grey blanket. Her hair fell in tangled clumps around her head, laying down over the bare skin of her exposed shoulder. But it was her toes that got him.

Naked toes, peeking out from under the edge of the bedding. Bare toes. Bare shoulder. Bare everything beneath the blanket.

He stepped back into the room, shoved the door closed and crossed the floor between them with two quick strides. Threading his fingers through her hair he covered her mouth with his, not caring about oxygen or breathing, not caring about anything but her.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling her head higher, closer. A soft whimpering sound escaped from the back of her throat, sending his mind spinning. Dropping his hands from her hair he slid his arms around her waist and in an instant realized that for her hands to be up, she would have had to let go of the blankets.

Naked.

Cool, bare skin.

In his arms.

Against his chest.

Pressed tightly against him.

Kissing him.

Touching him.

Fingers behind his head. On his neck. Across his bare shoulders.

All the blood and heat left his body and headed directly to his groin. "Jennifer…" He exhaled, barely able to roll his tongue around her name.

"No." She whispered against his mouth, her lips moving to kiss a trail down the side of his neck to the hollow at the base of his throat. "Don't think. Don't stop. Don't go."

He groaned again and tipped his head back when she nipped his collarbone. The last piece of sanity skipped through his mind and he reached for her, cupping her cheeks and lifting her face to his.

"You sure?"

She nodded, and he could see the fire and passion darkening her eyes as her gaze moved away from his eyes and down to his mouth. "I want." She whispered, nodding her head slowly.

"Jennifer…" He growled, his voice low.

"Ronon…" She answered with a low, throaty whisper. Her eyes moved back up to his. "Please."

At that single word he knew he was lost. Completely.

With his mouth covering hers, he picked her gently up, stepped over the discarded blankets, and carried her to the bed.

* * *

He dressed in silence, afraid to make a noise and wake her. Buckling the lower strap of his holster, he reseated his blaster and reached for his coat. Standing beside the bed he watched her sleeping, her hair tangled out across the pillow, arm flung out across the space he'd just lain… searching for him even in sleep.

He reached out and pulled the blanket higher, adjusting it over a bare foot sticking out.

He shook his head in amazement. She hid such passion… such fire beneath the innocence and uncertainty. Unbridled and untamed, she'd released it… only for him. And somewhere between the heat and the lust, she'd captured his heart and soul.

Leaning closer, he placed a soft kiss against her forehead. "Sleep well, little one." He whispered, straightening as she sighed in her sleep, her fingers curling against the side of the pillow.

After a moment he finally forced himself to turn away. Yanking on his jacket, he stopped only to grab one of his knives so he could jimmy her door, sliding the lock in place behind him.

With a last, parting glance at her closed, and now locked door, he headed down the hallway and into the tavern below.

He crossed the room to where Solen stood next to the bar.

The Satedan turned towards him, leaving his mug of ale on the surface of the bar to grip Ronon's outstretched forearm. Ronon nodded, returning the friendly gesture.

"She's important." Solen released his arm and stepped back.

"She's family." Ronon hinted, earning him a pointed stare.

Family followed honor on Sateda. And with family, came protection. Life for family, honor for family. You died for your family first. The flash of understanding in Solen's eyes told Ronon the word was not lost, nor was it misunderstood.

Solen raised his mug, took a long draw, then lowered it, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He dropped the mug back down onto the bar and nodded.

"Then I'll let my cousin know you'll be back in…"

"A couple of days. Three at most." Ronon confirmed. "There might be Wraith." He added, angling his head.

"When aren't there Wraith?" Solen shrugged, and his eyes hardened, showing Ronon a glimpse into the past, and the once great soldier. Seeing him now, Ronon knew for certain what he'd always suspected. The soldier wasn't gone. He was just hiding.

Ronon nodded his thanks and turned, with a last parting glance to the top of the stairs.

He stopped only once more – at the edge of the village – turning towards the rooftop of the tavern barely visible over the other buildings. He could see the corner room, and the edge of her window.

With silent a promise to return, he turned and headed to the gate.

He'd watch.

He'd listen.

He'd learn.

And he'd do everything he could to protect what was his.

Until the day came when he could bring his Jennifer home.

.

.

* * *

.

**Author's Note --- I'm leaving this story here until after we see the next episode. My plan is to tag "Infection" with another chapter or two... and you dear readers, need to watch the episode and see just how Ronon's reacting to Jen, and specifically Todd. :P He knows he can't kill him ... yet... :P So we'll wait and see! Check back after Infection - or mark this for a story alert. :P Until then, I'll be quick in posting the next epic! Hugs! - Nika**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note - The story continues! Takes place after "INFECTION".**

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* * *

  
**

"Hold still." Petra chastised from behind Jen's shoulder, her small fingers threading the dark red ribbon through the large braid she was meticulously winding with Jen's long hair.

"Sorry." Jen laughed, glancing at the girl's mother, who was shaking her head in amusement. The young boy seated in the corner just harrumphed and pretended to ignore them all.

"I'm almost done." Petra said slowly, and Jen could hear the concentration in her voice. After a few more slight tugs, Petra exhaled. She held the end of the braid tightly, and reached for the large colored ring her mother held out to her. With her tongue jammed in the side of her mouth, Petra held her breath and clipped the narrow ring over the end of the braid. Jen heard a soft snap and then a whispered "_yes!_".

"There!" The six year old announced with a flourish as she scurried across the small living area to grab a narrow hand-mirror off the shelf. Chewing her lower lip nervously she handed the mirror to Jen.

Jen thanked her and lifted the mirror up, being very serious as she examined the sides of her head.

She had to admit, the young girl had done an incredible job – the braid was perfectly symmetrical – no easy feat with her fine hair. It looked almost like a French braid, but with a more unique lay of knots. And the hint of red ribbon that twisted down through the long braided section draped over her shoulder was almost perfect. The red ring was thin and intricate, with small symbols carved into it. Petra had already explained the symmetrical spirals carved into the side of the hair-ring were Satedan friendship symbols. Jen made a mental note to make sure she returned it.

After a moment's pause she handed the mirror back to Petra, the little girl watching with a serious and worried face.

"It's beautiful!" Jen laughed and launched herself at the little girl, scooping her up and spinning her around in a giggling circle. "I love it!"

Petra laughed and threw her arms around Jen's neck. "See Momma!" She giggled when Jen stopped so she could hold her arms out to her mother. "I told you she'd like it!"

"Yes, you did little _misha_." Her mother, Revel, laughed and accepted her child from Jennifer's grip. "You did a wonderful job."

The girl glanced over at her brother, Bellen, who was watching them with a pouting frown. "I told you I could do it." Petra taunted her older brother.

Bellen made a face, stuck his tongue out at his sister, and buried himself in his book.

Petra smiled at Jen. "He's mad because I wouldn't let him use the silver ring."

"Silver?" Jen glanced down at the colored ring locked over the end of the braids.

"Silver is different." Revel kissed her daughter's cheek, setting Petra down and laughing as the young girl ran over and punched her twelve year old brother in the arm.

"Hey!" Bellen howled, leaping up from the chair to chase his squealing sister out through the front door and into the yard. The lump from the bandage around his lower left leg was still noticeable beneath the hem of his trousers as he limped after his sister.

"Bellen, don't you dare undo Doctor Jenny's work!" Revel yelled after him, moving to stand in the doorway. She shook her head as the two children ran through the garden towards the creek, laughing through the late morning sunshine.

"It's okay." Jen laughed, picking up the small canvas satchel and joining the young woman on the front porch of the small house. "He's healing very quickly. There's no way you'd keep him still, anyway. Not with his energy level."

"I think it's genetic." Revel laughed. "Their father had the same stubborn attitude when it came to letting things heal."

"He was Satedan, too?"

Revel nodded, her smile softening with the memory. "Yes."

Jen snorted. "Definitely genetic."

Revel glanced at her then laughed. "I take it you are talking about your Ronon?"

Jen made a face. "Sorry, I didn't realize…"

"How frequently you speak of him?" The young woman finished with a knowing smile.

"Yes." Jen snorted, then shook her head with an embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry…"

Revel waved it off with a swipe of her hand. "How long has it been?"

"Two weeks." Jen felt her smile slip as the worry skipped back up through her abdomen. "He said three days."

"Two weeks is a lifetime without word." Revel said knowingly, twisting her long, dark hair off her shoulder. "I'm sure he is fine."

Jen sighed and stared out across the yard, her thoughts jumbled as she watched the two children throw rocks into the shallow water of the slow moving brook.

Two weeks too long.

Anything could happen in two weeks.

It could be nothing.

It could be something.

After a moment of quiet she shook her head, chasing away the ghosts. "Yes. You're probably right. I'm sure he's just caught up with… everything."

"He's Satedan." Revel smiled. "He's probably chasing the Wraith."

Jen laughed. "You have no idea!"

They stood in comfortable silence for a few moments, before Jen finally gave in to the knowledge that she should probably leave the woman to her lunch preparations.

"Well… I'll just say goodbye to them before I go."

"Oh no!" Revel smiled back. "You must stay for lunch!"

Jen shook her head. "I couldn't. You've fed me every day this week. I'm eating you out of house and home!"

"You eat less than Petra." Revel snorted. "The children love your company. You're the most fascinating person they've ever met."

"I highly doubt that." Jen rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Please?" Revel pleaded. "My motives are also my own. It's rare that I get a chance at… adult conversation. Especially a woman my own age."

Jen couldn't help but laugh. The young woman and her two children lived outside the village on a small farm, and while it was beautiful, it would also be rather lonely. And right now, Jen could definitely sympathize with lonely. The thought of spending another solitary afternoon that bled silently into night, alone in Solen's spare room, wondering and worrying, ate at her resolve.

"Okay." She finally nodded. "But only if you're sure it's no trouble."

Revel smiled and clapped her hands. "Perfect!"

"Can I help?"

"No." Revel shook her head. "I'm very possessive about my kitchen." Then she pointed to the children. "Go toss some rocks into the river. It's very… what is the word you used… therapeutic?"

Jen grinned and nodded. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Revel said firmly, giving Jen a gentle shove off the porch. "Go. I'll holler when it's ready."

Jen laughed and set her satchel on the edge of the porch before starting across the yard. "It's been a few years since I've skipped stones." She called over her shoulder.

"Well then here's your chance to get right back to it!" Revel laughed.

* * *

Lunch was loud and boisterous, with both children trying to out-do each other with tales of who did what first. Bellen had a million questions about the Lanteans and was it true about this, and was it true about that. Petra wanted to know all about the flying ships, televisions, and music players.

The questions flew even while the children were tasked with cleaning up and washing the dishes - hollered out from inside while Jen and Revel sat on the bench on the front porch.

The sun had crested well past the tops of the trees by the time Jen begged her leave.

Revel eyed the forest, and the entrance to the trail leading back to the village. "Solen will come for you?"

"Yeah. If I'm not back by the end of the lunch rush he'll come get me." Jen glanced sideways at Revel. "He's a good man."

Revel made a face.

"What?" Jen laughed.

"He's overbearing."

"He's smart."

"He's pushy." Revel frowned.

"He's protective." Jen countered.

"He spends all day in the tavern." Revel shook her head with disgust.

"He's spying for us." Jen leaned closer and spoke softly.

Revel blinked, shocked. "He is?"

Jen nodded and sat back. "He's still a soldier. He's quiet. Everyone knows him. They're not afraid to speak openly in front of him. You can learn a lot by being quiet." She said, immediately thinking of another Satedan with a similar outlook. She shook her head then shrugged. "Solen's the only one who helped me." She angled her chin at the sound of the returning children, and dropped her voice to a whisper. "I think he likes you."

Revel snorted but didn't answer as Petra and Bellen hurried back out onto the porch. After rechecking Bellen's dressing, and ensuring that the large gash from his tumble down a rocky hillside several days earlier was clean and healing, she said her goodbyes, and started out across the lawn towards the narrow trail hidden in the trees.

It was a two mile hike back to the tavern, but the day was warm and the sky blue and bright. It was difficult to frown with such a wonderful, sunny day, but it wasn't difficult to feel lonely. Half way across the field she spotted movement through the trees, smiling to know Solen hadn't missed his self-imposed bodyguard duty.

She turned back to wave at the children, laughing as Petra wriggled off her mother's lap to run across the field, demanding her good-bye hug. Jen dropped her satchel and scooped the young girl up, swinging her around and around until they were both a little dizzy. Petra giggled and hooted, nearly strangling Jen with her small arms when Jen finally staggered and pretended to drop the child.

Petra let out a loud screaming squeal, making Jen laugh harder.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Jen grinned, dropping to her knees to hug the child.

Petra nodded. "Okay!" Then she looked at a spot over Jen's shoulder. "Someone's here."

"Who, Solen?" Jen stood up and brushed the grass of the knees of long skirt.

"That's not Solen…" Petra said pointedly, a slight tilt to her chin.

Jen felt a tickle of air feather across the hairs on the back of her neck and she spun around.

"Ronon." She whispered, her emotions flying out in a tangled rush.

Any thoughts of decorum flew away with the wind as she ran across the yard, slamming herself into him with a laugh and a sob.

"Hello, little one." Ronon grinned, swinging her around in a circle like she'd done to Petra.

"Ohmygod… Ronon…" She exhaled, strangling him with her arms. "I was so worried."

"Sorry." He made a face and set her back onto her feet.

"Are you okay?" She stepped back and gave him a head to toe once over.

"I'm fine." He grinned.

"What happened? What took you so long? Is everything okay? Is everyone else okay? Has something happened? Is-"

He clamped his mouth down over hers and drew away all her questions beneath the kiss.

Jen fell against him, her body sighing all the way down to the tips of her toes. When he finally released her, she couldn't stop the smile.

"Is that a yes?" She whispered.

He snorted. "To which question?"

"All of them?"

"I like your hair." Ronon angled his head, and reached for her shoulder, picking up the end of the heavy braid. He rolled his fingers over the deep red ring, sliding his thumb across the symbols. "Who?" He asked, gently setting the braid down across her shoulder.

She smiled. "Petra. Said it was only appropriate since I'm Solen's _cousin_ and all."

His eyes shifted to a spot over her shoulder and Jen remembered, with a heated flush, that they weren't alone. She spun around to face three pairs of curious eyes, watching her from the middle of the field where she'd left Petra standing.

Ronon fell into step beside her and they crossed over to the family.

"Ronon, I'd like you to meet Revel, Bellan, and Petra. Guys, this... is Ronon."

Revel nodded in greeting, a wide smile directed at Jennifer, her hands resting on her children's shoulders. "So this is the famous Ronon Dex. I've heard a lot about you."

Jen flushed under Ronon's curious glance, and refused to look at him.

Petra stepped forward and stood toe to toe with Ronon, looking straight up at him. "I braided Doctor Jenny's hair." She announced.

Ronon stepped back and squatted, bringing himself down to face the small child. Her dark hair stuck out in all angles from what was probably a neat set of braids when she started the day. She watched him with the open curiosity that came with the untouched innocence of childhood and he couldn't help but smile.

"You did a good job." He nodded, earning him a grin from the child's mother, and a snort from the young boy.

Petra turned her head and stuck out her tongue at her brother. "I did a good job." She repeated. Then she turned back to Ronon, her expression serious, eyes wide as she nodded. "I used my friendship ring. Momma said I could. Bellan wanted to use his but Momma said Doctor Jenny was my friend too and it was my idea so she said I could use my ring, right Momma?"

Ronon raised is eyebrows at the speed with which the young girl exhaled her short speech.

Her mother laughed. "Yes, you did a great job, _misha_."

From his lowered position, Ronon looked quickly at Revel.

"What?" She smiled at him.

He shook his head and straightened up slowly. "_Misha_." He repeated. "A word I haven't heard… in a long time."

"Why?" Jen shook her head, looking between the two adults. "What's it mean? I thought it was just Petra's nickname."

"It means _little kiss_." Petra answered, sliding in beside her mother. "It's Momma's name for me, right Momma?"

Revel nodded and scooped up her daughter. "Right, _misha_." She kissed the little girl on the cheek, then turned to Bellen. "Bellen, do not be rude." She said quietly. "Ronon is Satedan, and you are man of the house. You know the rules."

Ronon glanced at the boy, who'd crossed his gangly arms in a huff and was sharing his glaring at a spot off to the left. He was tall and spindly, but Ronon had no doubt he'd grow into his glare someday. At his mother's words, Bellen stiffened and dropped his arms, looking at his mother, who nodded encouragingly.

Ronon waited.

After a hesitant pause, Bellen straightened up and stepped forward, holding his arm out to grasp Ronon's forearm. His short arms barely allowed his hand to clear Ronon's gauntlets. Ronon repeated the grip, leaning forward and down so Bellan could bump him with his shoulder.

"Welcome." Bellan said formally, his voice quiet and somewhat snarky as he glanced sideways at his mother.

Ronon released his arm and stepped back.

Bellan returned to his mother's side, and re-crossed his arms with a pouting frown, glaring at his sister, who stuck out her tongue again.

"Well," Revel nodded, then smiled from Ronon to Jen. "We should let you get back. I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do."

Ronon bent to pick up Jen's satchel from its spot in the grass, and slung the strap over his shoulder. After another quick round of goodbyes, Jen turned and walked beside him towards the tree line, her hand quickly snatched up in his larger, warmer one. She smiled and threaded her fingers through his, the sudden urge to laugh aloud bubbling up through her heart.

"What?" He grinned, looking down at her as they walked under the canopy of leaves.

"Nothing." She snorted, forcing down a giggle. "I'm just glad you're here."

"So am I." He answered, swinging her around so he could kiss her. "So am I. Now quit distracting me." He snorted and pulled her along beside him. "We need to get back to the tavern. There's someone I want you to meet. "

"Who?" She stepped along beside him.

"Someone." He repeated.

"You're not going to tell me, are you."

"Nope."

"Party pooper." She snorted.

"Party, what?"

Jen laughed and hurried around to stand in front of him, blocking his way. "Kiss me." She ordered.

"Yes ma'am." He complied.

The trip back to town took a little longer than normal, but they made it.

Eventually.


	7. Chapter 7

Standing in front of the single window in her room, Jen held the curtain back and stared out into the street below. The material dropped as she turned away, the sound of booted footsteps in the hallway drawing her attention towards her closed door. Ronon was quiet - so this was obviously the guest.

Moving towards the middle of the room, she smiled when Ronon swung the door open, but her smile faltered with the serious expression on his face.

"What?" She frowned.

Ronon hesitated then stepped aside, unblocking her view of his mystery companion.

Jen's breath caught and she jumped as Ronon's hand immediately clamped down on the P90 that was heading in her direction.

"What the hell…" Laura Cadman sputtered, staring across the room at Jennifer. "Who is that?!"

"Laura…" Jen blinked, her hand immediately moving to the base of her throat.

Laura turned her fiery glare to Ronon, who was purposely shoving her P90 towards the floor. "What the hell's going on? Who is she?"

"Jennifer." Ronon answered. "The _real_ Jennifer."

Jen stood very still, half wanting to throw herself at her best friend, but afraid to make any sudden moves until she could figure out just what Ronon was planning. Why was Laura here? Why did he want Laura to know? A multitude of silent voices peppered her with questions and she fought to keep her mind clear.

Ronon turned towards Laura and shoved the door closed behind her, then stepped back, planting himself firmly in front of Jennifer.

"What the hell do you mean, _the real Jennifer_?" Laura's gaze narrowed and she tried to brush past him.

"The Jennifer on Atlantis is a clone." Ronon answered, sidestepping to match Laura's attempts to get past him.

Laura stopped moving with a curse and glared at him. "I don't know what you think you're up to, but I'm pretty sure I'd know if my best friend was a faker. Now start talkin' bucko!"

"Todd made a clone. Swapped them out on the Daedalus before he abandoned it. Jennifer escaped. Came here. Found me. Clone's on Atlantis. We don't know why." Ronon summarized.

If the situation had not been so serious, Jen would have laughed at his minimalist summary of her weeks of hell. But she bit the inside of her cheek, concentrating on the knotted tension balling up in her abdomen, instead.

Ronon angled his head towards the woman peering out from behind him. "Real Jennifer." Then he tipped his chin towards Laura. "You had breakfast with the clone."

Laura swore and shook her head. "Yeah, and I have land for sale…"

"It's okay Ronon." Jen said quickly, placing her hand against his arm and peering around him. "Let her see me."

Ronon glanced over his shoulder at Jen, who nodded encouragingly. He stepped slowly aside, giving Laura a warning glare as he moved.

Jen held her breath as Laura stood still, feet braced, spine stiff, her eyes accessing across every inch. With her hands planted firmly on her hips, Laura frowned. Then her head turned ever so slight to the left, telling Jen that her friend was running through every possible scenario before she would come to a decision..

After a long, long silence, Laura took a step forward with a nod, but Ronon's arm blocked her way.

"You cool?" He asked pointedly.

Laura blinked up at him. "I need to prove a theory."

Jen nodded at Ronon's questioning glance, and he dropped his arm.

Laura stepped closer, her eyes wary. "Daedalus?"

Jen nodded. "Todd took me with him. The… other… me… went back to the city."

Laura pursed her lips. "You certainly look like… you. Except for the clothes."

Jen smiled hesitantly. "Had to wear something?"

"Sound like you, too."

Jen angled. "Because I am me."

"Chocolate or Vanilla?" Laura asked abruptly.

"Chocolate." Jen answered.

"Beer or wine?"

"Beer." Jen smiled lightly.

"PC or Mac?"

Jen snorted. "PC."

"Ronon or Rodney?"

"What?!" Jen blinked, then laughed, her face flushing as she avoided looking anywhere near Ronon.

"You heard me." Laura raised her eyebrows. "Ronon… or Rodney?"

Jen finally chanced a glance at Ronon, almost giving a half-assed answer just to see what he'd say. But the longer she looked, the more she had to admit the state of her life called for commitment, and nothing less. She took a deep breath. "Ronon." She said pointedly, her eyes locked on the deep green that stared right back at her. His expression didn't change, but a flash of something darker flickered past his eyes then disappeared. She turned her face back towards Laura.

"One more thing." The lieutenant nodded, and moved closer, muttering "Relax, bodyguard," over her shoulder at Ronon, who'd reacted to her motion. She reached for the hem of Jen's shirt and yanked it up, hooking her thumb through the waistband of Jen's skirt.

Jen smiled at Ronon when Laura cursed, several times in several different languages to see the small scar on Jen's hip.

"Holy shit…" Laura stood up, her eyes wide. "It really is you."

Jen shrugged and straightened her clothing. "It's me."

"I mean… it was gone. Gone. I thought… I thought you just… healed it… ancient tech or something… but… she doesn't have a scar. Why doesn't she have one? I remember… I saw you with the stitches… sparring…"

Laura ran a shaking hand over her braided hair and stepped back. "Shit." Then she looked at Ronon, back to Jen, blinked, and shook her head slowly side to side. "Shit, shit, shit."

"Yeah." Jen answered softly, giving her friend a hesitant smile.

"Oh, damn, this is wrong on so many levels…" Laura muttered. "I just had breakfast with you… her… she… it… this morning… I mean… I…" She shrugged. "I'm so sorry." She muttered, stepping quickly forward and throwing her arms around Jen. "I have a feeling I'm going to be apologizing for the rest of my life, aren't I?"

Jen smiled and hugged her fiercely. "Nothing to apologize for."

Laura stepped away, horrified. "You're my best friend and I didn't even know you weren't… you! That's… that's… awful!"

"Laura!" Jen smiled. "She's a _clone_. Technically she _is_ me."

Laura shook her head slowly. "There's a hell of a story here, isn't there?"

Jen nodded. "Oh yeah. How much time you got?"

"I'm supposed to be picking up a requested list for supplies." Laura glowered at Ronon.

"You still are." Ronon acknowledged. "Solen will have the list when we're ready to go."

"We have until eighteen-hundred." Laura glanced at her watch. "Just under three hours."

Jen didn't miss the _we_. Ronon would have to leave again in three hours. _Three hours._ Not enough time. Not by a long shot. She turned towards him, fighting the urge to bury herself against him and beg him to stay.

He moved to stand in front of her, close enough it forced her to tilt her head back to keep her eyes on his.

"Only three hours?" She asked softly.

He raised his shoulder then dropped it again. "Sorry."

She bit her lower lip and dropped her chin. With a quick shake of her head, she turned to face Laura. "Then we should get started. This could take a while."

* * *

"Wow." Laura muttered from her sprawled position on the floor, her head resting on Jen's lap.

"Yeah." Jen nodded, her head bobbing against Ronon's shoulder. With her fingers threaded through his, they sat side by side on the floor beside the window.

Laura rolled her head and looked up at the two of them.

"But with Todd practically dead, and his ship sitting at the bottom of the ocean, you should be safe to come back now, right?"

"What?!" Jen gasped, straightening up, her head snapping from Laura to Ronon. "Todd's dead?"

Ronon shook his head and Laura sat up quickly, spinning around to sit cross legged facing them.

"Crap, I forgot!" Laura clasped her hand to her forehead. "You're not you. You weren't there."

"Wasn't where?! What happened? Is that why you haven't been able to come back?"

Laura cursed again and looked at her watch. "Okay. Cole's notes?"

Jen nodded furiously.

"Who's Cole?" Ronon frowned.

Jen shushed him and turned back to Laura.

The lieutenant took a deep breath, and exhaled the explanation in one long breath.

"Todd stole your research while you were on the Daedalus and gave himself the cure and it worked so he gave it to his entire crew but then it _didn't_ work and made them all sick with some kind of cancer so he contacted Atlantis to get our help and SGA1 and 2 went up with your other you to help find the cure but all the Wraith soldiers went psycho and tried to eat Williams so we killed them all except Todd but then the ship was also infected and fell apart almost killing everyone when the forward section crashed into the ocean on the planet but they were rescued and then Colonel Sheppard let Todd go to an Iratus planet because Todd thinks a bug bite could cure him and that's the last we've seen him."

Laura blinked.

"You spent _way_ too much time in McKay's head." Ronon stared at the Lieutenant, shaking his head in awe at the speed with which she'd launched through her explanation. He turned towards Jen. "You understood all that?"

Jen stared at Laura. "It gave them cancer?"

"Cancer like tumor, you said." Laura bobbled her head. "I mean your other you… said that. God! This is going to be so confusing!" She glared at Ronon. "How the hell am I supposed to go back and pretend like everything's normal now?"

"You just will." Ronon said, matter-of-factly.

Laura sighed.

"She's still me, Laur." Jen added. "Carson's still Carson, right?"

"But she's _not_ you." Laura shook her head. "She's different. You're different. I mean… I couldn't put my finger on it before but now… now… hell… now… it all sort of makes sense. In a twisted… Pegasus version of a bad joke sort of way…"

Jen shook her head. "Laura, she's a clone. Essentially, we're the same person."

Laura shook her head slowly, her expression serious. "No, J. You're not the same. Not any more."

Jen frowned, niggling worry creeping in under her ribs. "Well, okay I have a scar or two she doesn't have, but-"

"It's not physical." Laura interrupted. "It's… just… you. You're different."

"What do you mean?" She glanced sideways at Ronon, her breath quickening.

"It's hard to explain." Laura said, drawing Jen's attention back. "She's just…" The lieutenant sighed.

"What?" Jen shook her head quickly.

"I don't know how to say it." Laura frowned.

Jen made a face, completely worried now. "Just… just say it?!"

"Ronon, would you give us a minute?" Laura looked directly at the Satedan.

Jen tensed but Ronon nodded. She clutched his fingers tightly, refusing to let go of his hand, leaving him no choice but to pull her up with him. "Why?" She asked nervously, gripping Ronon's hand between both of hers, while Laura picked herself up off the floor. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Laura assured her, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I just… this would be… easier…" Laura let out a frustrated grunt. "It's girl talk, okay?"

"Girl talk?" Jen blinked. "Oh. Oh! Okay. Right." She released Ronon's hand and chewed her lower lip.

"Five minutes." Laura turned towards him. "Just give us five minutes."

"I'll get the list from Solen." Ronon crossed the room, quickly opening the door and disappearing into the hallway.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Jen spun towards Laura. "Out with it."

"The other you is dating McKay." Laura whispered, even though they were completely alone in the room.

Jen blinked. Blinked again. Then shook her head to clear it. "I'm sorry, I swear I just heard you say I'm dating Rodney."

"You are."

Jen sat down hard on the bed, her legs suddenly feeling a little wobbly. She clasped her forehead and stared at her friend. "Ohmygod. You're not kidding, are you?"

Laura shook her head and lowered herself onto the mattress beside her.

"There's more, isn't there." Jen titled her head and scrunched up her face.

"Fraid so." Laura nodded.

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not."

"Tell me."

"The day… practically the _hour_ you got back from the Daedalus, you told Ronon you were interested in someone else."

"I said what?!"

"And then you started dating Rodney."

"I. But. No. How is that possible? I like Rodney. We're great friends. But… _dating_? How could I… I wouldn't have done that!" Jen wailed, flinging her arms up.

"You did."

"No. I wouldn't. And if I wouldn't… why would she? We're the same person."

"You're not." Laura shook her head. "Not anymore."

"Oh hell." Jen flopped backwards across the bed to stare up at the rafters. "This is not possible."

Laura lay back and mimicked Jen's position. "Okay, look. _When_ do you think Todd made your… clone."

Jen closed her eyes. "He would have gotten my DNA from my first visit to his ship to ask him about trying a cure."

"So everything you've done after that – is the new you."

"A person can't change their base personality in a couple of months." Jen turned her head to stare at Laura.

"Maybe not." Laura looked at her. "But they _can_ fall in love."

"With Rodney?!"

"No." Laura snorted. "With Ronon."

Jen blinked.

Laura flipped over onto her side. "_You_ took sparring lessons. _You_ spent time with him. _You_ went running, and hung out at movie nights. Had meals together in the mess hall. God, J. He hasn't taken his eyes off you since he almost lost you to Kyrik. I think you nearly killed him with worry that day. Why do you think he followed you to the Daedalus in the first place!? But your other you… she lost all that time. She never got the chance to see whatever it is that _you_ see. Because you do see something, don't you."

Jen inhaled slowly, letting the meaning of Laura's words ring true through her heart and mind. She nodded. "Yeah." She didn't bother to hide a smile at the thought how much she truly did love him. "I do."

Laura whooped. "I knew it!"

"What?" Jen couldn't help but laugh.

"I knew you wouldn't break his heart like that."

Jen's smile quickly faltered with a sharp stabbing pain. "Break his heart?" She gasped.

Laura sat up quickly. "I didn't mean that… I mean… well… just that when you told him you were interested in someone else… he was a freakin bear."

"Bear?!" Jen frowned.

Laura nodded, then started to smile. "Okay… fine. He was a moping, angry son-of-a-bitch and no one wanted to go anywhere near him for weeks."

"Really?"

"Trust me. For a socially inept wallflower, you sure know how to make a man miserable. Miraculously enough, a couple weeks ago, tall-dark-n-moody suddenly shows up all smiles and words start coming out again." Laura nodded knowingly. "I wonder why that was? Any details you want to share? Hmmm? Want to put some… facts… to the rumors about the man's… ah… features?"

"Laura!" Jen laughed, feeling the skin on her face flushing.

"Oh. My. GOD!" Laura poked her in the shoulder. "I knew it! You did, didn't you!"

"Did what!?" Jen asked, feeling her ears heating up to join her cheeks and neck.

"You did!" Laura rolled around on the bed with a laugh and a squeal. "Oh god. You did. You lucky bitch. Details! I want all the details! I'm your _best _friend, you evil clone-mold. You can't just leave me hanging here! You have to tell me!"

"Tell you what?" Ronon's low voice cut in from the doorway, making both women squeak and scramble up off the bed.

"Nothing!" Jen practically shouted.

Laura just laughed and clapped her hands.


	8. Chapter 8

Laura was still giggling as they descended the stairs to the main floor.

"Oh, give it a rest, Cadman." Jen elbowed her friend.

"Sorry." Laura snickered, glancing at Ronon.

"What?!" Ronon demanded for the fifth time.

Jen flushed, making Laura laugh harder.

"I'll explain later." Laura answered over her shoulder.

"You will not." Jen blurted out.

"Explain what?" Ronon frowned.

"Fine, then you do it." Laura raised an eyebrow at her friend.

Jen stammered… "What… I… fine. I will."

"Liar." Laura snorted.

Ronon stepped around them with a shake of his head and moved to greet Solen, who was the only occupant of the tavern area besides the bartender.

"A little early in the afternoon to be drinking." Ronon frowned at the half-empty mug of ale on the table in front of the man.

"It's after eleven." Laura interrupted Solen's retort, joining the two men.

"After eleven?" Solen raised an eyebrow.

Laura nodded. "Propriety states, no alcohol until after eleven." Then she lifted the mug, sniffed it, and took a long swig. She made a face as she set the beer back down. "My theory is that it has to be after eleven _somewhere_."

Solen grinned up at her. "I like that theory."

"Always worked for me." Laura stepped back, crossing her arms and letting them rest on her P90.

Solen kicked his chair back and stood up, eying the weapon. "You know how to use that?"

Laura snorted and glanced down at the P90 clipped to her TAC vest. "What, this little thang?" She drawled and shook her head. "I prefer things with a much bigger bang."

"Bigger bang?" Solen raised an eyebrow.

"Demolitions." Ronon answered.

Jen smiled from Laura to Solen. "Laura likes to blow things up."

"This little bit?" Solen looked incredulous, giving Laura a full head to toe once over. "Demolitions?!" He started to laugh, but Ronon's expression faded the sound into a blank stare. "You're not kidding."

Laura shrugged. "The bigger the bad, the better the boom."

"Oh, god, now you've done it…" Jen muttered, rolling her eyes at Solen.

The Satedan switched his gaze from Ronon and Jennifer, then back to Laura. He watched her expectantly. "What kind of… boom?"

"You just had to ask, didn't you…" Jen shook her head, making Ronon snort.

"Hmm…" Laura pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "What _have_ I blown up? Rooms. Buildings. Big buildings. Bigger buildings. Underground bunkers. Tunnels." She nodded as she listed each item, each one bringing Solen's grin out further.

"Cars. Trucks. Tanks." She continued. "Boats. Planes. Ships. Flying ships." She angled her head, ignoring the wide smile Solen was now giving Ronon over her shoulder. "Space ships. Wraith cruisers. Wraith."

"By the ancients!" Solen clasped his hand over his chest. "A woman after my own heart."

"Solen." Ronon warned.

"What?" Solen grinned maniacally at him. "Any man can find a woman who can cook. But one who wields a mighty explosive? How could I possibly resist?"

"Wields a mighty explosive?" Jen snorted.

"Trust me, Sincha." Laura eyed him knowingly. "I have yet to meet a man who could handle this kind of firepower."

Jen shook her head then turned into Ronon, burying her laughter in the folds of his coat.

"It is obvious you haven't met the right Satedan… yet." Solen angled his head suggestively.

Ronon snorted.

Solen rolled his eyes at Ronon's expression. "Oh, come on… your woman's a healer with the skills to bring a man back from the dead. Why should I have to settle for a mere housekeeper?"

"Actually, Laura's a slob." Jen interjected, turning her head towards Solen.

"At least I know a pot from a frying pan." Laura countered.

Ronon laughed and glanced down at Jen, who's face was now three shades of red.

"I don't cook." She admitted, tipping her head back to look up at him.

"I know." He nodded, tightening his arms around her.

"Tasted her cooking, huh." Laura snorted.

Jen released Ronon's waist long enough to whack Laura across the shoulder.

Laura laughed and shook her head. Then, with a quick glance at her wrist, her smile faded and she looked directly at Jen.

"We gotta go, J." She said apologetically.

Ronon felt Jennifer's arms automatically tighten around his waist in response to Laura's statement. Jennifer glanced up at him, the laughter in her eyes suddenly lost beneath a flash of worry. Then she blinked, and it was gone, closed in behind a quiet understanding.

"Then let's get you to the gate." She said quietly, but Ronon didn't miss the sadness she was trying to hide. He didn't release her when she moved to step away.

"You don't have to come."

"Yeah." She whispered, her smile slight and soft. "I do."

He nodded, letting her pull back and step away.

They walked to the gate behind Laura and Solen, accompanied by Solen's alternating proposals of marriage to Laura, and pestering questions about home-made explosives. When the reached the clearing and the giant ring, Jen hesitated, stopping on the edge of the small field. She couldn't quite bring herself to take that last step.

The field was the gate.

And the gate meant he was leaving her behind.

Ronon turned towards her and she stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his torso and hugging him tightly.

"It's going to be okay." He spoke against the top of her head.

"I know." She shook her head slightly, her voice muffled against the front of his shirt. "But I don't have to like it."

"No. I suppose you don't."

She lifted her head. "I guess I can't really ask you when you'll be back."

"Couple of days." He shrugged. "We'll bring back Solen's supplies. Unless something comes up."

"Okay." She sighed and straightened, moving back from him. Her eyes followed his fingers as they moved to the braid falling down across her shoulder.

He picked it up, running his thumb over the dark ring and the engraved symbols.

"They're Satedan, aren't they?" She looked up at him, noting the faraway look in his eyes when he nodded.

"What's it mean?"

"Friendship found. Forever bound." He twisted her braid around as he read the engraved saying.

"Petra said the colors were important. Red is for friendship. Yellow is… no white… is for family. Gold… for…"

"Politicians." Ronon gently set the braid down across her shoulder.

"What's silver for?" She asked.

"Silver?"

She nodded. "Bellen wanted me to use a silver one he had, but Petra said he wasn't allowed."

"Ahh." Ronon smiled slowly. "Guess that explains the pouting."

"Why?" She found herself smiling in return.

He snorted. "Boy knows what he likes."

"Likes?"

"Colors were seen by some as... signs. Symbols. Gifts of colors were specific to the holder. Petra gave you red because you are a friend. White was often given by one family member to another. Gold is… was… awarded to Politicians. Purple to members of the Royal house. It wasn't always a rule that was followed… some did, some didn't." He shrugged. "With one exception."

"Silver?" Jen asked.

"Silver…" He nodded, reaching behind his head and untying the thin leather strap he'd wound around his dreadlocks to pull them back. "Silver was the one metal that never changed in purpose. Years of history and it never altered." His hair fell down around his shoulders as he lowered his arms.

"What's it mean?"

"It's a promise." Holding the leather lace in his hand, he dug into his pocket.

"Promise for what?" She asked, fascinated as he yanked one of the heavy silver rings off a dreadlock behind his right ear, and looped the leather lace through the wide hole in the middle of the ring.

He stepped forward and reached behind her neck and under the braid, looping the lace and tying the ends together in a hard knot. Jen picked up the ring that now hung from her impromptu necklace, feeling his weight and smoothness, cool against the palm of her hand. It was large enough she could easily thread it over her thumb. She raised her head, her forehead creased with confusion.

"It's time!" Laura called out from the center of the clearing.

Ronon grasped Jen's hand, raising it to kiss her thumb and the ring. He squeezed her fingers then dropped her hand, stepping away.

"No, wait…" Jen grabbed for his arm, clutching the ring tightly in her fist. "Your ring. I don't understand."

"You will."

He took a step back, and she took a step forward, her eyes moving quickly to Laura, who was dialing the DHD.

"I'll be back in a couple of days." He tipped his head towards Laura. "Between the two of us we should be able to keep an eye on your double. And on you."

Jen shook her head frantically… watching the gate solidify behind him. Her heart froze in her throat. It was too soon. It wasn't fair.

Ronon suddenly stopped backing up, letting her bump into his chest. His hands cupped her cheeks and she held her breath while he kissed her forehead.

"Stay strong, little one." He whispered. "Stay safe."

"Ronon…" She whispered, swallowing hard.

He dropped his hands and stepped away, and this time she let him go.

Laura rushed over, throwing her arms tightly around Jen. "Behave."

"You too." Jen hugged her back fiercely, trying for a smile, not really sure if she was succeeding.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Laura glanced at Ronon. "We both will."

"I know." She answered, feeling her breath catch.

Laura turned to Ronon, and hooked her arm through his. "Come on Romeo." She tugged him towards the gate. "Let's give the gate-tech's something to gossip about." With a backward glance they both stepped through the event horizon and disappeared.

Jen barely remembered Solen accompanying her back to town, fighting to keep her emotions at bay until she reached the solitude of her small room. Once the door was closed and locked behind her, she let out a shaky breath, and along with it went her careful control.

With the heavy silver ring pressed against her lips, she slid down the wall onto the floor and burst into tears.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - Sorry this took so long to update! I never forgot - just got distracted. Happy Holidays everyone! - Nika**

* * *

Ronon stared out into the moonlit alley, watching the night pass across the quiet streets of Belkan. He knew she was awake, watching him from beneath the covers. He could hear the changes in her breathing as she cleared the sleep from her mind. Blankets folded as she sat up and left the bed, her bare feet padding softly across the wooden floor towards him.

Her arms slid around him from behind, hands splaying against his bare chest as she gently kissed the back of his shoulder. Ronon pressed his arms over hers, holding them tightly against his torso.

"You okay?" She asked, her breath soft against his bare back. She turned her head to place her ear against his back, tickling his skin with the soft slide of her hair as she moved. The direct warmth of her front against the cool skin of his back made him inhale sharply.

He lifted her hand and kissed her palm. "I'm fine."

"You always stand naked in front of strange windows in the middle of the night, mister _I'm fine_?" She snorted.

He turned in her arms, letting his hands slide across her naked skin, down to the small of her back. "You Earth people have too many rules about clothes." He chided. "Clothes for sleeping. Clothes for swimming. Clothes for just about everything."

She laughed softly. "We'll see how much you complain after I introduce you to a little thing called _Victoria's Secret_. I've yet to meet a man who can refuse red lace."

"Just how many have you _already_ met?" He growled and spun, pulling her away from the window and back towards the bed.

She laughed and shook her head. "Metaphorically speaking, I mean."

"Mmm-hmm." He guided her into the space between his legs as he sat down on the edge of the bed, putting his eyes level with the smooth, rounded curve of skin across the top of her breasts. He lowered his hands, sliding his thumbs across her hips, his eyes automatically moving to the spot to the side of her naval. The spot where she… Neeva… had been shot in the stomach. It had scared him, seeing her lying there – blood on her hands – on her torso. Even though he knew it wasn't her. Wasn't his Jennifer. Knew it… it still bothered him… still added to his long list of nightmares.

Because it looked like her. _Was_ her in a sense. Her body, her eyes, her pain, her blood.

"Why so serious?" She asked quietly, her fingers lingering on his bare shoulders.

He shook his head, ordering the ghosts away.

"Hey…" She said softly, brushing her fingers across the side of his jaw. "I'm okay."

He sighed and pulled her closer, placing soft kisses into the hollow at the base of her throat, his arms moving up her back to hold her tightly while he nuzzled her neck.

"Wow." Jen exhaled, wrapping her arms around his head and shoulders, laying her cheek on the top of his head. "She really freaked you out, huh."

"Your body." He shook his head. "Your blood."

"No…" She whispered, pulling back, her hands moving to cup his chin, lifting his face up towards hers. She kissed him fiercely. "_I'm _me. And I'm right here, Ronon. Here. Now. With you."

He growled, low in his throat, his arms locking around her, pulling her along with him as he fell backwards across the bed.

She sprawled out across him with a shriek and a giggle. "Problem?"

"Nothing that can't be fixed." He snorted.

Jen laughed, feeling his appreciation growing against her lower abdomen. "Already?" She snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"We have a lot of time to make up for." He smiled maniacally and rolled, flipping her onto her back, pressing himself down on top of her.

"I see…" Jen let her smile fade in the face of the hungry look he was giving her. She reached up, her fingers sliding down the edge of his jaw. "I love you." She whispered.

"And I, you." He answered, before stealing her breath with his kiss.

* * *

With a startled gasp, Jen shot up in the bed, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging like wisps of foggy mist. Fragments of a court trial and an executioner, and being shot in the stomach with a weapon that left a hole big enough to see through. She clutched her throat and stared in to the empty room, her heartbeat scattered and scared.

Empty room.

_Ronon_?

She scrambled out of the bed, nearly tripping over the blanket with her hurried movements. Succeeding in standing with the sheet half around her, she stumbled as she turned, her mind still stuck in adrenaline fueled confusion. _He'd been here, she was sure of it. Hadn't he? She couldn't have made it up!_

A soft click behind her and she spun, and stepped back, her heart skipping up another notch as her door swung open. _She'd locked it. She always locked it._

The form that moved inside, silhouetted by the dim light of the hallway, could only be one man.

"Hey." Ronon said quietly, stepping into the room and pushing the door closed with his foot. His arms held a large bundle which he set into an empty chair near the bed and crossed towards her. "What's wrong?"

Jen stepped into him, her arms locking around his torso. She buried her face in the front of his shirt and inhaled, the scent of leather and musk filling her nose and calming her heart. Heat enfolded her chilled skin as he wrapped himself around her.

"Jennifer?"

She shook her head slowly, the spiked tension in her shoulders giving way beneath the drop in adrenaline. "Bad dream."

"Sorry." He said softly.

She sighed. "When you weren't here… I thought maybe I'd dreamed you up."

"Ah." He kissed the top of her head. "You didn't."

"Where'd you go?"

"Firewood." He half turned and pointed to the dark and blackened hearth in the corner, the embers long dead and lifeless.

Jen shook her head as her slightly addled mind connected with the chill in the air. "Right." She could feel a slight flush climbing into her face.

"Get back under the blankets." He released her and spun her back towards the bed.

"I would be warmer if you joined me…" She said softly, reseating the blankets she'd upset when she'd climbed out of the bed.

He moved his bundle towards the hearth, unwrapping the split chunks of firewood. "And who would build the fire?"

"Not me." She snorted, burrowing beneath the heavy coverlet to watch him as he placed the kindling and lit a match.

"Building a fire is easy."

"But it's cold out there."

"You're the one running around naked." He added some of the smaller pieces of bark, kicking up the flame.

"Nice of you to notice." She snickered.

"Oh, I noticed." He added a few larger pieces, the flame licking the edges of the dried bark and catching.

"Yeah?" She asked slyly, sitting up in the bed, letting the blankets drop down to pool at her waist. "And just what, exactly, did you notice?"

He added a medium sized piece of wood then glanced at her over his shoulder, but all Jen could see was his silhouette against the flickering colors of the growing fire. He didn't move for a moment, and since she couldn't see his face, she wasn't quite sure what is expression was, but then he growled and stood up slowly.

She laughed. "You're forgetting the fire."

He took several slow, purposeful steps towards the bed, reaching behind his neck to yank his shirt off with one smooth tug. He dropped it unceremoniously onto the floor.

"It's going to get cold in here…" She added, pursing her lips to fight a smirk as he unhooked his belt and holster.

"Don't worry." He growled. "You'll soon be warm enough."

* * *

Lying on his side with Jennifer spooned in front of him, Ronon traced the angle of her hip, feeling her soft, smooth skin beneath his fingertips. His thumb grazed over the small sparring scar, rubbing back and forth, reminding himself she truly was _his _Jennifer.

With her head pillowed on his arm, her hair fell down across her back and shoulders, tickling the bare skin of his chest. He lifted his head slowly, gently kissing her shoulder. Under the blankets, he felt her skin break into goosebumps beneath his palm and she shifted her head around.

Sleepy, hazel eyes blinked back at him, set above a lazy smile as she closed her eyes again. "So comfy." She whispered, snuggling her back up against his front with a contented sigh.

He snorted. "It's noon."

"So?"

"You can't sleep all day."

Jen ground her hips suggestively back against him. "Who said anything about sleep?"

He laughed, placing quick, nuzzling kisses across her exposed shoulder. "Keep that up and we'll never get out of bed."

"Promises, promises." She shook her head in mock sadness, then burst out laughing when her stomach rumbled with a long, sharp burble.

"There's food on the table." He glanced over at the pile of bread, cheese and fruit he'd commandeered from the tavern hours earlier.

Upon seeing the silver tray and its contents, Jen turned her head, staring at him wide eyed. "Where'd that come from?"

"The kitchen."

"Someone brought it up?"

He shook his head with a snort. "No, I went and got it."

"When did you do that?"

"Sun up." He kissed her cheek. "We should really work on your sense of survival. I got up, got dressed, left and came back, and you didn't even move."

"Your point?"

"A war could have broken out and you'd never have noticed."

"I learned to nap in a high-trauma ER." She shook her head with a snort, then nodded. "I can sleep through just about anything."

"Not very safe. What if someone else had come in?"

Jen wriggled around until she was facing him, snaking her left arm up over his hip, and burrowing further into the warmth of his chest. She closed her eyes, and sighed happily, kissing his collarbone. "And just who would be dumb enough to bother me with you around, hmmm?"

She felt his laughter before she heard it.

"Come on." He kissed the top of her head and flipped the covers back, exposing her naked skin to the cool air of the room. He rolled out of bed and stood beside it, grinning as she shrieked and yanked the blankets back over her neck.

"Evil!" She hissed.

He shook his head and reached for his pants, which he'd discarded by the bed. Yanking them on he threaded the belt through the buckle and moved towards the fireplace to kick up the fire a little and warm the room. It was overcast and chilly – the kind of day perfectly weathered to spend inside by a warm fire.

Once he had a steady flame, he gathered up her clothes and walked to the bed, lifting the edge of the blanket. Hazel eyes watched him with mock wariness as he stuffed her clothes under the blanket with her.

"Warm them up then put them on." He smiled and nodded. "Makes it a little easier."

She frowned, moving the clothes around her beneath the blankets. "Really?"

He nodded. "Really."

By the time she finally crawled out of bed, he had the fire well stoked, and the foods laid out on the table next to it. Giving her the seat closest to the flame, he handed her a mug of a sweet smelling concoction, which she turned her nose up at.

"I think it's a little late in our relationship for you to be getting me drunk, Mr. Dex."

He grinned. "Just drink it. It will keep you warm. And the water here tastes like something Zelenka cooked up."

Her eyes instantly lost a measure of sparkle, then misted over with a flash of sadness, before she lowered them to the mug in her hand. She took a long drink, and set them mug gently onto the table top. Ronon immediately understood how much she missed her home – her friends – during her self imposed exile. the main difference was, her home still stood – warm and inviting – teasing her from its distance, just out of reach.

Reaching across the table, he covered her free hand with his, waiting for her to look up and acknowledge him. "I want you to think about coming home." He said quietly.

She blinked. "But-"

He shook his head. "There's little more we can do, Jennifer. I don't think she's a threat."

Jen chewed her lower lip. _Home_. God how she missed it. How she missed everything. The city. The people. The ocean. Her quarters. Her infirmary. It would be so easy to just say _yes_…

"I don't know…" She hesitated. "When?"

He angled his head and released her hand, sitting back in his chair. "I'd say right this minute, but there's a few things we need to do first."

"Like what?"

"Are you sure Todd only cloned you – there was no one else from the Daedalus?"

"I asked myself the same question." Jen grabbed a chunk of cheese and popping it into her mouth. Shaking her head while she chewed hurriedly, swallowed, and took a quick sip of the spicy brew to wash it down. "There was no research on file other than information on my… double. Why?"

"Just wanting to make sure we didn't have anyone else out there running around impersonating our people."

"Technically it's not impersonating." She corrected, then shook her head. "Sorry. I just… no. I don't think anyone else could possibly have been… duplicated. The only people Todd saw that day besides your team, was me. He didn't have access to Rodney, Teyla or John after that in any kind of situation that could involve a replacement. The only other person he could have doubled up on is you."

Ronon stared at her, unblinking.

"What?" She frowned. "You don't think…"

He shrugged.

"I didn't find any mention of you, or any DNA or research files other than my own."

"Is there a way to be sure."

She nodded "Of course. But the test would have to be done on Atlantis, and well, I can't exactly perform it without being there."

He angled his head. "Can anyone else do it?"

"Anyone could do it with the proper instruction."

"Could you tell me how?"

"It won't work." She shook her head. "I mean yes, I could tell you… but…"

"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "Don't think I could do it?"

"Oh would you stop." She glared at him, her eyes narrowed. "You don't fool me one bit _Specialist_ Dex. I highly doubt that big dumb brawn would make it to the level of a Colonel." She shook her head quickly. "No _one_ person could do it alone. You can't scan yourself. You would need to be on the scanner – not moving - while someone else operated the controls."

"Laura?"

Jen chewed her lower lip while she considered the options. "You really think there's a possibility…" She trailed off, watching him intently.

He shrugged. "I'd rather know now, than later."

"If there are two of you…" She frowned, answering his unvoiced question. "Which one are you?"

"Basically." He nodded. Once.

Jen sighed and rubbed her temples. "This whole concept is giving me a headache. I can't even begin to think of what kind of a mess this could possibly pose. If the real me is in love with a clone you, and clone me is dating Rodney, while real you is god knows where doing god knows what with… What?" She frowned at his odd expression.

"Say that again." He blinked, his eyes boring intently into hers.

"What?"

"What you just said."

"About your other you doing god knows what?"

"No… the other part."

"The…" Jen blinked. "Oh. Yeah. Rodney." She made a face. "Laura told me… that my… other half is seeing Rodney…"

He blinked, then frowned. "You're… okay with that?"

"Hell no!" She snorted, giving him a raised eyebrow. "I mean… Rodney is incredibly intelligent… funny in his own way. Kind. There's an amazing man under all that attitude. I love him to pieces, but…"

"But?"

She stood slowly, moving around the small table to his side, where she lowered herself sideways across his lap. "But…" She said softly, her face hovering inches from his. "I love Rodney… but I'm _in_ love… with someone else."

"Anyone I know?" His expression softened, ruining the stoic glare he was going for as he teased her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

"You might…" She laughed, gathering his dreads away from his face and pulling them behind his head. Holding them back with her left hand, she smiled sadly. Placing her right palm against his chest, her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "I miss you so much when you're not here. It makes me feel… incomplete. It's like… part of me is broken and I don't know how to fix it. I say things out loud some times… expecting you to answer… but…" She shook her head. "Then I turn around and…" She raised her shoulder and dropped it slowly. "And… you're not there."

He leaned forward and kissed her slowly, gently, leaving her with promises she knew he would die trying to keep. She sighed and lay her forehead against his.

"I miss you too, little one." He answered quietly. "That's why I want you to come home with me."

She sat back slowly, a slow smile playing across her lips.

"What?" He raised his eyebrows when she grinned broadly.

"I was just thinking…" She pursed her lips with mock thoughtfulness, then laughed.

"About what?"

"If you had a clone…"

He blinked. "That's funny, because?"

"Because…" She kissed him quickly and hopped up off his lap. "Think of the fun I could have with _two _of you…"

She made it two feet before she was scooped up with a growl. "I…" He snorted, dropping her unceremoniously onto the mussed up bedding. "Do not…" He crawled up the length of the bed, pressing her body into the mattress while she giggled. "Share."

He covered her mouth with his, and her arms threaded up around his neck, locking in place.

"Good." She said, her laughter dissolving into a breathless moan when he nibbled her collarbone. "Because neither do I."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N - Okay this chapter is shorter, but it sets things up. :P - Nika**

* * *

Ronon straightened away from the wall as Laura hurried around the corner. Shifting her tablet from one hand to the other, she crossed the corridor towards him, stopping in front of the locked lab.

"You got her code?" She quickly removed the cover off the door access and pulled out the middle crystal.

"Yup." Ronon acknowledged.

Laura glanced over her shoulder. The end section of the infirmary labs would be empty unless a medical emergency required use of the specialized equipment, but with what they were about to do, extra caution was definitely required.

Breaking into a lab using Jennifer's medical access code could technically be seen as an act of treason… although in theory, it _was _by instruction and permission of the real CMO. Either way it was going to be a mess of logistics and wrap-around rules when it all came out in the debriefing. They didn't need to add fuel to the fire.

Not that she wouldn't take any punishment dished out if what she was doing would get her best friend back. Being sent home would be a hard, bitter pill, but she'd take it smiling. She knew exactly what it was she was sacrificing.

And _who_.

Laura shook her head and blocked out every wayward thought save for one. This was no time for flighty girlish fantasies. She was a Marine, and this Marine had a task to accomplish. Hooking her tablet into the sensor, she quickly entered the numbers Ronon rattled off by rote. The door swished open and Ronon stepped inside while Laura replaced the crystal and the panel cover, then followed through.

As the door slid closed behind her, she set her tablet onto a side table and eyed the ancient scanner.

"You sure about this?" She glanced at the Satedan, wondering just what she was supposed to do if she found out he was indeed another clone. There way she'd be able to stop him if he decided to leave.

He nodded. Once. Then surprised her by smirking. "Let's find out if I am one before you start analyzing your options."

Laura laughed, despite the gravity of the situation. "Some days I hate you."

"Same." He snorted, but the grin was still there.

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "Let's get this over with. You got the instructions?"

Ronon handed her several pages of hand printed notes, and Laura instantly recognized Jen's neat penmanship. She broke the mold when it came to Doctor's that was for sure. Every letter was clearly legible, crisp and purposeful, flowing smoothly along page by page by page by page.

"_Seven_ pages?" She snorted as she counted silently. "Building a god-damn nuke takes less instruction."

Almost ten minutes later, Laura made a final double check on the position of each gauge before giving Ronon a nod. "All right. Lay down and hold still."

He rolled onto his back, and placed his arms straight out at his side.

"Ready?" She asked.

"As ever." He answered, taking a deep breath and holding it as the machine moved it's way slowly down his body from it's starting position above his head.

It passed over several times before finishing with a soft set of beeps.

"Done?" He asked.

"So it says…" She answered, glancing up as he smoothly lifted himself off the scanner bed and dropped onto the floor. "And now we wait."

"How long?" Ronon crossed around the monitor bank and towered over her as they waited.

Laura glanced down at the final page of notes. "Anywhere from five to fifteen minutes."

Ronon exhaled, a sound more like a snort than a sigh.

Laura shrugged. "Yeah, and I like waiting about as much as you do."

Eight minutes later, the screen in front of them flickered and changed. They both held their breath as the monitor displayed a bizarre mix of wiggled lines that were supposed to represent his DNA.

"Okay." She nodded, then handed him the stack of notes. "My turn."

Ronon raised an eyebrow.

"Reference sample." Laura shrugged and pointed to Jennifer's note, halfway down the last page. "Apparently we're the same age." She smiled. "There's an insult in there somewhere but I can't figure out who exactly I'd be insulting."

Ronon grinned as Laura brushed past him and hopped up onto the scanner. She lay back and straightened out onto the flat surface. "Just push the big green button."

"Ready?"

"No." She snorted.

It took less than five minutes for Laura's results to factor in, and she stuck out her tongue at him. "Ha!"

Ronon shrugged. "Obviously, I'm more complex."

"_Complex_," Laura snorted. "Is so not the first word that comes to mind."

"Strong? Brave? Sexy?" Ronon suggested lightly.

"Old." Laura glanced up from Jen's notes to the two samples.

"Old?" Ronon lowered his chin and glared.

Laura pointed to the screen. "You're DNA is just as degraded as mine." She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Thank god."

He grinned with relief. "_Thank god_?"

Laura laughed. "Dude, you're enough trouble on your own. I can't even begin to imagine the kind of damage _two_ of you could cause."

Ronon pocketed the small papers while Laura downloaded the results to her tablet. Once she confirmed the files were safe, they shut the machine down and headed for the door.

"Okay, so, we know you're you…" She turned towards Ronon as she swiped her hand over the access panel. "What do we do now?"

"How about we start with what the hell you two are doing in a restricted medical lab?" A low voice stated from the hallway.

Laura squawked and spun around, coming face to face with two stiff sets of shoulders, and two very guarded expressions.

"Colonel." She cleared her throat. "Major."

Both men stood in equally imposing postures, arms crossed and feet wide. Oh lord that was bad. Really bad. _Shit-hitting-the-fan_ kind of bad. _Court-marshal-this-is-your-career-calling_ kind of bad. She shook her head, trying so very hard not to get lost in those blue eyes staring so accusingly at her. She turned head and opted for the lesser of two evils. The Colonel.

"Lieutenant." John nodded curtly. "Ronon. Fancy meeting you here."

"I…" Laura hesitated, glancing sideways at Ronon. "I mean we…" She shook her head with a grimace. _We_ was a bad word to use. There was no _we_… other than the whole breaking and entering thing… And covering up a clone thing… But Evan… Major Lorne wouldn't know that… hell she'd been avoiding him all week… and she knew from the look on his face exactly what it was he'd think she'd been avoiding him for. Or _who_ she'd been avoiding him for.

_Hell_.

"Explain, Lieutenant." Evan ordered, shifting his weight and dropping his arms to the side. His blue eyes drilled into hers. "This area is restricted access… and last time I checked… neither one of you had this level of clearance."

_Damn he was sexy when he was angry._

Laura took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, stopping short of begging him to believe her. "It's not what you think."

"And just what is it we are thinking?" John queried, his expression almost as furious as Evan's. "Besides having both your asses hauled to the brig?"

Laura felt Ronon's hand clamp solidly down on her shoulder before she could even attempt to stutter out a muted explanation.

"How soon can you be ready to leave?" He asked.

"Leave?" John's eyes narrowed. "Leave and go where?"

"Belkan."

"Belkan." Evan repeated, his jaw clenched. "You've been spending an awful lot of time there recently."

Ronon glanced at the Major. "You want answers. The answers are on Belkan. Not here."

John uncrossed his arms and dropped them to his side. "Then by all means…" With a raised eyebrow he stepped aside, unblocking the doorway. He smiled slightly, but it was cold and unfriendly. "Let's go to Belkan."

"We need to stop at the infirmary first." Ronon stared at Sheppard, who gave him an equally firm glaring.

"Why?"

"The medical supplies they requested." Laura answered, hoping she was catching on to whatever it was Ronon was doing.

John glanced at Evan, who shrugged.

"Very well." Sheppard blinked. "But make it quick."

Laura entered the infirmary shadowed by the three men, and crossed quickly to Jennifer, who was chatting with Marie. Laura still wasn't used to the thought that this Jen… wasn't Jen. She couldn't bring herself to wish the woman harm, because technically she was still Jen. Just not her Jen. Lord the implications were giving her a headache… not to mention the added stress of the eyes boring into her back.

"Hey Jen." Laura swallowed hard, and forced a smile, stepping up beside the Doctor and her head nurse. "You got those supplies for me?"

"Good thing I packed them last night." Jennifer nodded and pointed to the knapsack sitting on an empty gurney. "You're early."

Laura shrugged, and backed away. "Better than late, right?"

Jen frowned and stepped forward. "You okay? You seem a bit rushed."

Laura nodded, backing away to grab the bag. "Yup. Good. Just fine. In a hurry is all. Got to go. Thanks!" She shouldered the knapsack and quickly moved towards the others, brushing past them in her quest to escape before something – anything – else went wrong.

She only breathed again once she hit the hallway, immediately followed by her three companions.

The time it took them to gear up then proceed to the gate room felt like a lifetime. She'd never been faced with such a wall of silence before. And she never wanted to again. It was like being glared at by a pair of living gargoyles.

_Last-man standing_… She thought, as she waited between Ronon and Evan for Sheppard to return from his brief trip to Woolsey's office. Clutching her tablet she shook her head, hoping she'd at least have time to talk to Evan before they shipped her back to Earth.

The stabilized wormhole didn't look so pretty this time, and Laura couldn't find a single positive thought to latch onto as she followed Ronon across the event horizon, flanked by a very angry Major, and an equally pissed-off Colonel.

This was _so_ not going to end well.


	11. Chapter 11

Jen squealed and hopped in circles, ignoring the water as it splashed up on the hem of her skirt, bunches of material tightly clutched between her fingers to keep it out of the creek. Her leggings and shoes lay abandoned by the riverbank as she jammed her foot sideways in the shallow water, attempting to splash Petra before the little girl could run away.

The sun was hot on her skin, and the spring-run off incredibly cold on her feet. Even though her toes were numb, Jen couldn't resist joining the children in their play. It was a beautiful afternoon and reminded her so much of warm spring days on Earth.

Bellen howled with laughter as he jumped off the bank, landing square in the middle of the creek and sending up a plume of water that splashed both Jen and his younger sister. Petra squealed and bent to stick her hands in the water, flipping huge drops at her brother, who bent to send his own volley. Deciding she was out maneuvered, and out gunned, Jen scrambled up the bank towards their mother.

Sitting cross legged on a warn blanket, Revel laughed and tossed Jen a small cloth. Jen caught the material and quickly wiped her arms and legs.

"Wow that water's cold!" She exclaimed, dropping down beside Revel on the blanket, letting the sun do its duty and warm her chilled ankles and toes.

Revel nodded, smiling at her two children. "The melt of the mountain snow is definitely cold – but the creek will be warm enough within a few weeks. You'll be able to bathe without a chill."

Jen smiled and turned her head towards Petra and Bellen, unable to voice her thoughts aloud. She really, really hoped _not _to be here in a few weeks. She really hoped to be back home. Her fingers absently moved to the silver ring hanging around her neck and she rolled it back and forth on the thick cord.

"You miss him too much when he is gone." Revel said knowingly, her suggestive smile clearly evident.

Jen felt her face burning as she quickly dropped her hand. "Is it that obvious?"

Revel lifted the ring off Jen's chest, leaning forward to inspect it. "He gave you this?"

Jen nodded, looking down at the heavy silver ring pinched between Revel's fingertips. "He said it was a promise… but he didn't say what for."

Revel laughed, letting the ring drop as she sat back.

"What?" Jen frowned.

Revel's smile softened and she shook her head. "I'm sorry." She made a face. "I didn't mean to laugh. It has just been so long since I've heard it referred to by those words." Then she shrugged and looked away, her expression turning wistful. "Some days I miss my world."

Jen nodded, feeling the pull of her home across the millions of miles separating them. "I know what you mean."

Revel turned back towards her. "Yes." She nodded. "I think you do."

"Oh! No, no, I don't mean to align my situation to yours." Jen added quickly, realizing her comparison made no sense against having your entire civilization destroyed. "My home's still standing-"

"Yet you are still not there." Revel interrupted, holding her hand up to stop Jen's apologetic explanation. "And you are still not with him."

Jen inhaled slowly at the other woman's understanding. "No." She acknowledged with a soft shake to her head. "I'm not."

A sudden stream of cold water trickled down Jen's back and she gasped, hopping up as Petra laughed victoriously and escaped across the field.

"Oh you'll pay for that!" Jen hopped up and chased after the bobbing pigtails, laughing as the little girl zigged and zagged trying to keep away from Jen's tickling fingers. "I'm so tossing your skinny little butt right into that creek!" She threatened with a laugh.

A shape moved in the trees and Petra squealed with amusement and delight as Ronon jumped out from behind a tree with a loud growl, scooping the little one up into his arms and tossing her high into the air, catching her with ease.

"Ronon!" Petra squeaked and threw her arms around him.

Jen grinned widely, her heart skipping a beat just to see him. Then she almost groaned aloud to know she really _did_ have it just that bad.

Ronon swung Petra up onto his shoulders and walked towards Jen, his smile easy and his eyes dark with mischief.

Petra giggled from her lofty perch as Ronon leaned down to kiss Jen's cheek. "Can you leave?" He asked softly, his breath warming her ear.

"Of course." She frowned. "Why? Has something happened?"

He shook his head slightly, an unsaid message this was not the time.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Jen frowned as she walked with him back to the blanket. Ronon lowered Petra to the ground and greeted Bellen and Revel as Jen yanked on her leggings and boots. With a hasty and apologetic goodbye, Jen and Ronon left the trio and hurried towards the path.

Once inside the shelter of the trees, she glanced at him. "Is something wrong?"

He grabbed her around the waist and spun her towards him, his mouth closing quickly over hers. After he reluctantly released her with a grin and a quick kiss to the forehead, he threaded his fingers through hers and pulled her along beside him.

"What was that for?" She laughed.

"I missed you."

"Its barely been a day!" She giggled at his boyish grin as he lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. "So what do I get when you're gone longer?" She asked suggestively.

"It'll never happen." He shook his head at her frown. "You're coming home with me."

She stumbled and yanked him to a stop, which was no easy feat if he hadn't been prepared for her reaction. "What?!" She practically shouted.

He grinned and pulled on her hand, propelling her forward again. "Sheppard and Lorne are here."

Jen dug in her heels a second time. "What?!" She shouted. "How!? Why?!"

Ronon stopped and turned to face her. "Laura and I brought them."

"Why?" Her eyes narrowed at his odd expression. "What happened?"

"We… got caught."

"You got caught?" She frowned.

"DNA testing."

Jen raised her eyebrows. "You got caught… DNA scanning? You mean…" Her eyes widened. "Oh!" Then she started to smile. "That kind of _caught_. Not very stealthy Mr. _Specalist_." She snorted. "You're getting rusty."

Ronon shrugged. "You're too distracting."

"_I_ wasn't there."

His expression turned serious and he lowered his chin, his face hovering inches from hers. He raised her fingers, which were still clutched in his, and pressed the back of her hand over his heart. "You'll _always_ be there."

Jen's face flushed and she blinked up at him. "Oh." Was all she could muster as her heart skipped several beats. She cleared her throat. "Well remind me not to be so distracting next time." She whispered.

Ronon kissed her again, breaking away when she sagged against him with a soft moan.

"Now who's being distracting." She mumbled into the front of his chest, making him laugh.

"Come on." He gently stepped back, releasing her waist and reclaimed her fingers. "We don't want to keep them waiting."

"Oh, hell." She muttered. "You're not kidding are you."

"No."

"So what do I tell them?"

"The truth."

"Yeah, because it worked so easily with you and Laura." She snorted. "Are they armed?"

"They won't shoot you."

"You did." She grinned as she poked him in the shoulder with her free hand.

"Don't remind me." He exhaled sharply.

Jen knew the situation left him a little more than edgy so she squeezed his fingers reassuringly. "It's okay." She shrugged. "I figure saving my life is worth a little stunning." Ronon glanced down at her and she pulled him to a stop, and this time the kiss was her doing. "I love you, you know." She said quietly as she dropped back down onto her heels.

"You'd better." He angled his head. "Now quit distracting me or I'll tell Cadman it was your fault she's sitting alone in the tavern with Sheppard and Lorne. The Major hasn't cracked a single joke since we hit the gate and Sheppard's hair looks like he combed it with tree sap."

Jen stared at him wide eyed. "What?! And you left her _alone_ with them like that?" She turned and stepped forward, grabbing his hand and tugging him with her. "Well, come on, then! We'd better hurry!"

* * *

Ronon entered the tavern first, leaving Jen to count to twenty before she followed. She felt completely silly doing it, and with her heart beating a staggered march behind her ribs, wasn't even sure if she was counting in straight time or not. But she hit twenty and took a deep breath before swinging the door open and entering the empty tavern.

Solen sat in his usual spot to the side of the bar, his back to the wall and his eyes on the door. He nodded, once, giving her his assurance. Merkin, the bartender, wandered out of sight and into the back as Jen stepped fully around the corner and into sight of the rest of the bar. The only other occupants occupied the far corner, the quartet standing in a clustered group, arguing quietly.

Jen's heart stopped to see them in person. To hear their voices. Even if they were angry.

John and Evan.

_God it had been so long._

The Colonel and the Major caught sight of her at the same time, and both men moved with equal speed – but Ronon and Laura were ready. Ronon's arm slapped out and locked across Sheppard's rising P90, and Laura stepped in front of Evan to press his weapon back against his TAC vest.

"Stop." Ronon's command was clearly ordered. "She's not a replicator."

Silence descended like a blanket until John's curse echoed through the room.

"Talk." He ordered, his eyes on Jen but his command for Ronon and Laura. "Now."

* * *

The tension was thick enough to swim through, and Jen was having a hard time keeping her voice clear as the tale unfolded. Evan and John were upset, angry, and a ball of other volatile emotions combined as they asked question after question. When a group of rowdy patrons came in for the evening, they'd found it much easier to retreat to her room upstairs than stay sequestered in the corner, surrounded by drunken locals.

After Ronon snagged a couple of chairs from across the hall, everyone sat circled around the small table near the fireplace in her sparse quarters.

A fire lit the room and scared the chill from the spring evening, the sun's warming lost once it had dropped behind the trees. The snapping crackle of the burning wood was far too happy for the level of unease in the room.

Jen stared across the small table at John and Evan. Wedged securely between Ronon and Laura, she couldn't really do anything _but_ stare. Certainly moving away was out of the question. With her hands tightly clenched in her lap, she twisted her fingers around each other, nervously picking invisible dirt from beneath her closely cropped fingernails. Ronon's hand slipped across the narrow space between them and stilled her fingers. Jen squashed his fingers between hers as she held his hand firmly in her lap, willing herself stay calm. The gesture was not missed by either Evan or John, who exchanged a glance.

"That's a hell of a story." Sheppard finally commented, his fingers sliding across the top of his head, pulling his hair into an even more sporadic mess.

Jen tried to read the expression on his face, but it was as closed as Evan's. Something in John's eyes warned her she hadn't won him over as quickly as she had with Laura or Ronon. She wasn't sure what Evan would or wouldn't believe, but she knew there was only one thing she had to try to convince John she was who she was. Slowly releasing Ronon's fingers, she stood and leaned sideways against the table, noting with sadness the wary expression on both the Colonel and the Major's faces as she moved.

"J?" Laura questioned, but Jen waved her off.

"John." She angled her head and looked pointedly at the Colonel, fighting embarrassment as she hiked up the hem of her shirt and lowered the waistband of her skirt. "Do you remember when this happened?" She stared across the table, first to John, then Evan, but both men were locked on her barred hip.

John leaned slowly forward, the chair creaking as he shifted his weight. He didn't blink, just stared – hypnotized – at her hip. Jen held her breath.

"Do the math." Laura urged softly, as Evan leaned across the table, his weight on his elbows. "And no. The other one doesn't have the scar."

John's brow furrowed as he extended index finger and traced the length of the scar.

"That's real." His eyes met hers and she nodded, letting go of the material to yank it back down around herself. She felt Ronon's weight shift as he relaxed in his chair.

John turned his closed gaze to Ronon. "You did that."

Ronon angled his head slightly in acknowledgement.

"I was there." John blinked, his eyes distant as he calculated what he knew with what he'd just been told.

"This happened _before_ you left on the Daedalus." Evan commented as Jen lowered herself back into her chair.

"Shit." John muttered, messing his hair up even further.

His eyes locked on Jen's, and she could see the inner turmoil warring behind his unblinking stare.

"Can you prove it?" He finally asked. "Scientifically?"

Jen inhaled slowly. "I can confirm it with DNA tests… but… not here. I…" She paused, then corrected. "_You_… would need a bio-scanner." She let the statement hang in the air as she stared at John, willing him to believe her. Ronon shifted his weight beside her, and she subconsciously leaned into him.

"The same test you had Ronon run on himself?" Evan asked, eying Laura.

Jen nodded, but Ronon answered. "Needed to be sure."

"And you're…" John glanced at the Satedan.

"Original." Laura answered, unable to contain a slight smirk as she glanced past Jen to Ronon.

"How long were you going to wait?" John stared pointedly at Ronon.

"John." Jen exhaled. "It was my call." She said firmly, forcing John to look at her. "We didn't… I didn't… know what she might be up to. If she had any… ulterior motives."

"But with Todd's ship destroyed… and him hopefully dead…" Laura added with a shrug, glancing sideways at Jen. "Seems stupid to keep up with it."

Silence hung thickly, broken only with the occasional snap of wood in the fireplace.

John sat back in his chair with a creak from the wooden frame, then crossed his arms over his chest. He looked sideways at Evan, who was watching him intently.

"Told you we should have just let him sink with the damn ship." Evan muttered.

John raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. But this will make it so much more fun to do the next time." Then, with a brief nod to the Major, both men seemed to lose the cold, hard, military aura, leaving behind the softer side of the two people Jen called friends.

She felt the beginnings of a hopeful smile as John rolled his eyes and shook his head slowly, turning back towards her. He took a slow, deep breath. "I'll tell you one thing…" He exhaled, dropping his crossed arms and rocking back onto the rear legs of the chair. "You, Doc… have… _by far_… the _worst_ luck… _ever_."


	12. Chapter 12

"A clone."

Richard Woolsey stared blankly at the four people standing in his office. When none reacted with anything resembling the joke he really, really hoped it was, he felt the beginnings of an ache settle in behind his left eye. Removing his glasses, he pinched the bridge of his nose and wondered if there would ever be a single day in this position where the universe wasn't conspiring against him.

The odds on having his ex-CMO resurrected from the dead because he was actually a clone was one thing.

But having the current CMO _be_ a clone, while the real CMO was living over a tavern in a town resembling a bad Clint Eastwood western…

It had to be better odds than winning a Powerball lottery.

He really should buy a ticket.

Or go to Vegas.

With luck like this… he'd most certainly kill the house odds.

"Sir?" Major Lorne's voice broke through Richard's headache driven tangent. He opened his eyes and blinked from the Major to the Colonel then back again.

"A clone." Richard confirmed it wasn't a dream when everyone nodded. He reseated his glasses and sighed heavily. "And we can prove this?"

"Yes." John answered with a definitive nod.

Richard took a deep breath. "Of course you can." Then he shook his head to clear it, briefly wondering if he still had some Tylenol in his desk drawer. "This can not get out."

John shook his head. "We'll have Carson detour from 466 and run the tests first."

"Don't you need the…" Richard wiggled his fingers in the air above his desk, pointing between Laura and Ronon. "Scanner?"

John shook his head. "Carson can run the tests the old fashioned way – with a reconfigured handheld. It will take a little longer, but it will get the confirmation we need."

"And Je-" Richard sighed. "The _other_ Dr. Keller?"

"Don't say anything." John angled his head. "There's a good chance the clone has no idea she's a clone. But we also don't want her spooked if there is something else going on."

"And do we want a possibly Wraith controlled clone running major surgery? Or keep full access to our systems and security?" Richard voiced.

"We can't suddenly put a detail on her." John shrugged. "It would be too suspicious."

"She hasn't harmed anyone or anything to date." Evan stepped forward. "I see no reason she'd start now."

"And our security protocols? If the Wraith are controlling her…"

"They're not." Laura said firmly.

"And you're sure of this, how?" Richard glanced at her. "Is Dr. McKay aware-"

His sentence was cut off by a sharp chorus of _no's_.

"What?" Richard narrowed his eyes, and when no one answered, his heart skipped a beat. "Don't tell me Dr. McKay is also a clone!"

"Uh… No." John shook his head and gave the director a grimace. "He's… not a clone."

"He's dating the clone." Laura wrinkled her nose.

"Dr. McKay is…" Richard blinked. Then blinked again. The headache moved slowly across to include his right eye in its persistent throbbing. "Dating Dr. Keller's clone. Of course."

"We can ask Dr. Zelenka to monitor her access." Evan suggested, prompting a nod from the Colonel.

"And just how many other people already know?" Richard mused aloud.

"Just the four of us." John glanced around at the people in the office. "Now you. And Jennifer." He blinked. "The real Jennifer."

"And we'll be counting in Dr. Zelenka?" Richard prompted, earning him a nod from John.

"And Teyla as well." Laura suggested. "She would be a good choice for another person to keep an eye on her during down-time. Just having me would be too suspicious."

Richard took a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing his shoulders to lower from their hunched position. "Very well. Apprise Dr. Zelenka and Ms. Emmagen of the situation."

"And her off world access should be restricted. Quietly." John added. "At least until we sort this out."

"Agreed." Richard nodded, pushing his chair back and standing. "This situation is…" He hesitated, then nodded forcefully, changing his thought. "We can not operate with two CMO's -- specifically two identical CMO's." He stared directly at John. "Are you prepared to deal with the consequences if the clone is Wraith controlled?"

"Yes." John answered firmly. "We are."

"And if the clone is unaware? If she truly is a victim? What then?"

"She's still a human being." Laura said quickly. "She's just as much Jennifer as Carson is… Carson."

"I am aware of that." Richard blinked. "But the original Carson Beckett was killed, thus simplifying the decision. The question stands at what will we do with… two… Jennifer Kellers?"

He was met with silence.

"That's what I thought."

He inhaled slowly and turned towards the silent figure leaning casually in the corner. "You've been exceptionally quiet, Mr. Dex. Is there anything you would like to add?"

Richard wasn't sure he'd receive an answer, until the large man straightened from his reclined position against the frame of the closed glass door.

"If the clone is under Wraith control, she should be dealt with accordingly." Ronon said purposefully. "If she is a victim, we should not abandon her. The decision should be left between them. Not us."

Richard blinked, surprised he'd gotten an answer. Practically a speech considering. And rather insightful to boot. He nodded, then turned towards Colonel Sheppard.

"Very well. Have Dr. Beckett conduct the test on the… other Dr. Keller. Inform Dr. Zelenka and Ms. Emmagen and remind them both of the required level of secrecy. I will leave it up to you as to how and when you wish to inform Dr. McKay. A conversation I'm sure you are not looking forward to having." Richard acknowledged. "But a necessary one."

John nodded.

"If we confirm the identity of the true Dr. Keller, then, and only then, will we bring her back to the city."

* * *

"Don't you have a home of your own?" Solen grunted at Ronon as the other Satedan strode down the narrow side street towards the tavern. "People are going to think you're moving in."

Ronon changed direction and walked towards the other man, who was leaning in a doorway, shadowed in the darkness. The sun had long set, and the muffled sounds of the raucous crowd in the tavern could be heard several buildings over. Light pooled from various windows, pulling the shadows into long, dark strips between the bright spots.

"She's in there." Solen angled his chin towards a building across the street.

Ronon glanced over at the small, single story structure mashed between two large ones. Light shone brightly out through the curtained windows. A shadow passed behind one then disappeared.

"Ralcher's wife injured her hand." Solen explained briefly, then stepped forward, clamping Ronon on the shoulder as he passed. "Make yourself comfortable. She might be a while." With a grin the older Satedan moved off with a relaxed saunter in the direction of the tavern.

Ronon shook his head with a snort, then stepped into the doorway to wait for Jennifer. He wasn't there long before the door opened and she stepped out, escorted by a tall, thin man.

"Come." The man nodded, extending his arm. "I will walk you back."

"Oh no, Ralcher." Jen shook her head quickly and stepped away. "I'll be fine. You stay with Veled. Really."

When the man hesitated, Ronon stepped forward. "She'll be fine."

Jen spun around with a surprised laugh. "Ronon!" She stepped into him as he lowered his head and kissed her briefly.

"Ah." Ralcher nodded with a knowing grin. "I see you are in good hands then."

Jen smiled at him over her shoulder. "You have no idea."

With a quick wave of dismissal, Ralcher stepped back into his house and closed the door, leaving them standing in the shadows. Ronon took the opportunity to give her a more proper kiss, leaving her a little more than breathless as she sagged against him.

"You're going to spoil me with these kinds of greetings…" She mumbled against his shirtfront, feeling his laughter rumble through his chest as he tightened his arms around her. "Didn't you just leave a couple hours ago?"

He nodded against the top of her head. "I came back."

Now it was her turn to laugh. "Obviously." She giggled, fitting herself against his side as he shifted and pulled her against him, walking towards the tavern. They moved in comfortable silence, entering the building to a loud chorus happy chatter.

"You've become a regular I see." He pursed his lips as several people nodded and waved as they moved towards the stairs.

"I guess…" She shrugged, glancing over her shoulder at him. "Why? Is that bad?"

Ronon glared at one of the young men who smiled and waved as she passed. "It's fine." He finally answered as they reached the stairs, noting with satisfaction that she seemed completely oblivious to the young man's attempts to get her attention.

Once safely alone in her room, he quickly set the fire, and as soon as it was snapping happily, turned towards her.

"How did the conversation go with Richard?" She asked hesitantly, her arms crossed over her front. She'd removed her heavy cloak and stood next to the fire, warming herself in its orange glow.

Moving to stand behind her, Ronon wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his front. Staring over her head into the flames, he smiled. "Well. It went well."

With a flip of her hair, she angled her head back against his shoulder, exposing the graceful curve of her neck. "Richard… believed you?" She asked softly as she toyed nervously with his silver ring, slipping it back and forth against the cord around her neck.

Ronon could hear the worry in her voice and bent his head to kiss the side of her throat. "Of course."

"He'll let Carson test me?" She closed her eyes with a soft sigh and slumped further against him.

"Sheppard's gone to get him. They'll be here tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Really." Ronon squeezed her tighter, leaving a soft trail of kisses up towards her ear. "Stop worrying, little one."

"I can't help it." She whispered softly, turning in his arms and locking her hands tightly behind his neck. "I just can't stop thinking about… going home. With you. It feels like a dream I'm trying to remember. I hate watching you leave without me. It makes me feel like I'm breaking apart."

"I know." He fought her sadness, burrowing his face against the side of her neck. Since he'd found her again – or rather she'd found him – he'd been unable rid himself of a primal need to keep her close. It followed him like his shadow, and tore tiny pieces of him away every time he had to leave through the gate. Every time he had to leave her behind.

She was his to protect.

His to love.

Her fingers twisted in his dreads, pulling them back away from his neck and she answered his silent musings with a trio of soft kisses against the underside of his jaw.

With a groan he lifted her up, her arms and legs wrapping tightly around him as he carried her across the room to the bed.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Just a little warning that the first part is a little Risqué... Could be M rated or T with a twist... :P - but if you're unsure skip to the next section. - Nika**_

_**.  
**_

* * *

"Ronon?" Jen asked softly from her sprawled position, her naked body half covering his.

"Hmm?" Ronon waited, goosebumps breaking across his left shoulder as she traced an invisible symbol in his upper arm with her index finger.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"What did you promise?"

He frowned at the reflected flickers of firelight on the ceiling, his sated mind unable to instantly make the connection. "Promise?"

She lifted her head off his shoulder and shifted, moving until she was sitting astride him, her legs folded on either side of his hips. The blankets fell aside, sloughing off them both to pool crookedly onto the floor. Jen picked up the ring dangling between her breasts and held it. "Yeah, promise." She said again. "What did you promise someone for the ring?"

Ronon stared up at her, gloriously naked, sitting astride him, silhouetted in the low glow from the firelight. Her mussed hair haloed around her head, falling down around her shoulders. Lord she was beautiful.

"Ronon." She smiled.

"Yes?" He managed to croak out as his body once again responded to hers.

"The ring." She rapped her knuckles across his chest and smirked. "Pay attention." She adjusted her position on his lap, which only succeeded in making him harden further beneath her heat and wetness.

"Attention. Right." He nodded obediently, his hands moving slowly up her thighs to her hips.

"I'm serious!" She snorted, wriggling against him. "What kind of promise did you have to give someone for the ring?"

"Ring." He blinked. "No." Then he shook his head, willing his mind to clear long enough to answer coherently. "It's mine."

"I kind of figured that part out already." She giggled. "You said people got red ones if they were friends, and gold ones for your government, but that you had to promise someone something for a silver one. What did you have to promise to get it?" She turned her upper body and angled her arm towards the faint light from the embers in the fireplace, holding her palm out so she could see the silver object better.

Ronon gripped her waist with a groan when she moved, his mind skipping between her words, and what she was doing to his lower body. "I didn't promise anyone anything to get it." He hissed through his teeth as she turned again, and this time her smile was a little more maniacal as she shifted her weight purposely, tightening her knees against his hips.

"I thought you had to promise someone something for a silver ring." She frowned.

"You do."

"But you _just_ said…"

"I _said_…" He ran his thumb across the scar on her hip, smiling when she shivered. "I didn't promise anyone anything to _get it_. It was mine in the first place."

"Oh." She frowned and held still. Then she shook her head, confused. "Okay I'm lost." She dropped her hands and bent forward, propping herself up on his chest.

The ring swung out and back, hypnotizing him with it's arc as it rocked back towards the valley between her breasts. "That's okay." He moved his eyes slowly up towards hers. "I know where you are."

"Uh-huh." She grinned down at him. "You're changing the subject."

"Not."

"Are so." Placing her hands on either side of his head, she leaned across his chest, her face hovering above his. "Now. _Who_ did you promise _what_?"

"You."

"You made a promise about me?" She raised her eyebrows, then sat up quickly, making him groan. "Wait. This isn't one of those weird bets the Marines are always making where someone loses their underwear, is it?"

"What?" He blinked up at her, gripping her hips and purposely shifting her so he could slide himself through the heat between her legs. "Underwear?"

She made a face and tensed her hips, lifting her lower body up, tormenting him with the sudden loss of contact.

"What promise?" She reminded him, her eyes narrowed.

He frowned at her blackmail tactics and lifted his upper body off the bed. Wrapping his arms around her he hooked her legs and swiftly flipped her onto her back, grinning at her surprised squeak and mock glare.

"Not _about_ you." Pressing her into the mattress he lowered his head, nuzzling and kissing the side of her neck. "_To_ you." He nudged her legs apart with his knees and positioned himself between her legs.

"_To_ me." She repeated, hissing when he slid himself slowly and deliciously into her.

"Mmm-hmm." He responded with a groan as she dug her fingernails into his back and hooked her ankles up over his thighs.

"And what…" She let out a soft moan as he moved in a slow, purposeful rhythm, rocking her hips to match. "Did you… promise me?"

"Me."

* * *

"All done." Jen nodded at Bellen, and pulled the boy's pant-leg back down around his ankle.

The small, threaded stitches had come out quickly, leaving barely a trace of the initial wound. Even for the lack of more modern supplies, Jen was quite happy with the result. He'd have a long, thin scar to mark the spot, but the once ragged gash was now completely healed.

Bellen hopped up from the chair, and raced back outside to join his sister, who's distant squeals of laughter had made it difficult for the boy to keep still in the chair.

Revel moved to the open doorway, staring out across the field as Ronon tossed Petra high into the air, catching the squealing child effortlessly.

"Petra is quite taken with your Ronon." She laughed at Jen, who shook her head in amusement.

Jen snorted. "They always are."

Her silver ring tumbled out from beneath her shirt as she bent to pick up her small canvas bag of supplies. When she straightened, Revel pointed to the heavy band.

"Did you get your answer?" The woman asked with a smirk.

Jen felt her face flushing as she looped the strap of the bag over her shoulder. "Sort of."

"Sort of." Revel repeated.

Jen turned quickly to the Satedan woman. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Revel watched her intently, a sparkle of amusement in her dark eyes.

"I figure this whole promise thing is kind of like something we have where I come from. Oddly enough it's also called a promise ring. It's basically a ring a guy gives you to ask for exclusivity. You agree to not to see other people."

Revel pursed her lips and gave her chin a slight tilt before answering carefully. "In a way, yes."

"In a way…" Jen repeated. "So… that means…"

Revel shook her head. "You really should be asking this of your Ronon."

Jen turned to watch the two children and the man they were using for a jungle-gym, rolling her eyes with exasperation. "I tried. All he would say was that he promised me, well, him. But I don't know what that means. I asked but he wouldn't tell me any more."

After a moment's pause, Revel finally spoke, her voice soft. "You are mostly correct. But it is not merely used for… dating… as you put it, but that is one of the uses with the younger couples. For many, the ring is a sign of the couple themselves. A man gives the ring in promise of his love and protection. Care and support of your children. His life for yours. The woman who accepts the promise of silver is agreeing that she too has found her true light."

Jen turned slowly to face the other woman, realization spinning through her mind.

Revel smiled softly at her expression. "Don't worry. You haven't agreed to anything. There are many rules to be followed before anything official takes place."

"Rules?" Jen squeaked. "What kind of official rules?"

Revel tilted her head. "Are you sure you want to hear this? Perhaps you should wait until-"

"No." Jen interrupted quickly. "Please. I want to know."

Revel watched her intently for a moment before continuing. "On Sateda, those who are not old enough to be partnered, or who do not have permission of their families, give the rings as a future promise. It also gives each an… out… should they change their mind. It's more of a promise of youth. A chance to be together, but not have the formal attachment that comes along with it."

"Yeah that sounds like a promise ring." Jen snorted, unable to stop the grin that spread with the memory. "I wore Derek Olson's ring for a whole week before my Dad figured out what it was and made me give it back."

Revel laughed. "I wore _three_ others before I accepted Mart's ring." Then her smile faded a little and she glanced down at the silver ring looped tightly around her right index finger. "Worn on this finger, the ring is a sign you have lost your true light to the darkness."

Jen hesitated, her hand reaching out to grasp Revel's. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Revel shook her head. "In truth it still hurts. As it always will." She smiled softly. "But it is only with true fondness I remember him."

Jen took a step back and shook her head. "Look, I'm sorry I bothered you with all of this."

"You didn't." Revel smiled. "But there is one more thing you should know… If you want to hear it?" She stepped forward.

Jen nodded. "Please."

She nodded towards Jen's necklace. "Traditionally, when given on a rope, it is a promise to you, by him, that you are under his protection, by his life, by his hand. In giving you his ring, your Ronon has promised himself to you, announcing to all others he is… well… yours."

Jen shook her head, confused. "Mine?"

Revel smiled further. "Ronon is promising to… protect you. To care for you. To provide for you and your family. To be yours until one of you should… well… die."

"Die?" Jen stared at her wide eyed.

Revel shrugged then nodded. "Yes. Satedan couples are together until death. There are… other rules around it, but basically it's…"

"Till death do us part?" Jen squeaked.

"Yes." Revel nodded matter-of-factly.

Jen blinked. Then blinked again.

"Are you okay?" Revel leaned forward with concern.

"No." She shook her head violently. "I mean… yes… I…"

_Oh hell. _

He'd promised her what, exactly? Till death? Good lord, was it really _that_ question? But he hadn't even asked her anything!

"There's more, isn't there?" She finally asked the young woman.

Revel hesitated, then continued. "Well… um… yes. Until you have accepted, Ronon remains… bound to you."

"Accepted? Bound?"

Revel nodded. "You wear a silver ring around your neck. A man's ring. It tells others you have an… offer. But, because you have not yet accepted it – you are still open to receive other offers."

"Other offers?" Jen looked down at the heavy ring.

This time it was Revel's turn to frown. "Are you sure you are okay?" She waited until Jen nodded mutely before continuing. "Well, until you accept, you are… free to choose whoever you want. He… is not."

Jen turned to stare blankly at the Satedan woman, the weight of the ring heavy in her hand as she grasped the truth in the woman's statement.

_He_ wanted to be exclusive, but because he hadn't bothered to tell her everything, _she_ could see other people while he waited around… for what? For how long? What kind of stupid custom was that? Was this his way of giving her an out? Just how many times did she have to tell the lunkhead she loved him before he figured out she was serious? That _she_ wasn't the kind to go traipsing off looking for other... _offers_!?

"And if I don't accept his… offer?" Jen finally asked, anger seeping into her voice.

"By tradition, he remains forever bound to you until you return his ring, or accept his promise. But… I don't know many who abide by these traditions any longer. It is an old custom… one that fell with our planet. Your Ronon could only be giving you the peace of knowing he loves you." Revel shrugged. "I do not know how strong his belief in tradition is."

_Oh it's strong_, Jen thought with a frustrated snort. Inhaling slowly, she released her anger with a long, slow breath. "I don't mean to harp on your customs, really I don't. I just… it seems so… all or nothing. It's so… so…" Then she realized just who it was she was talking about and exhaled sharply, letting her shoulders drop as she rocked her head back and forth. "It's so _Ronon_."

She couldn't help smiling as Revel burst out laughing.

"But why wouldn't he have told me?" She asked aloud, turning to stare at the trio who were now playing in the creek, with Ronon showing the children how to skip a stone across the water. "How am I supposed to accept something if I don't know what I'm to do, or what the hell it is I'm accepting?"

Revel's hand landed softly against her arm. "If he truly wishes to follow custom, then someday he will tell you. Or perhaps he is worried you would not agree, or think his custom too strange. Or," she added slowly. "Perhaps, he is afraid your people would not allow it. You have said yourself your world is so very different from his… from ours. Could he be worried you would not be allowed to accept?"

_Oh yeah._

After a moment's pause, Jen spun to face Revel. "Tell me everything you know about this custom of yours. And I mean _everything_."


	14. Chapter 14

**_Author's Note: This chapter is a transition before we go back to Atlantis. :P A little fluff! Enjoy! :) - Nika_**

* * *

"There my wee girl." Carson closed the door behind him and stepped into Jen's small room.

"Carson!" Jen grinned and threw her arms around her mentor, hugging him fiercely. "Oh, it's good to see you!"

Carson dropped the large case he was carrying and hugged her just as fiercely. "Aye, lass." He lowered hands to her arms and stepped back, giving her a quick assessing once over. "You look well enough."

"I'm fine." She smiled, then glanced over his shoulder at the closed door. "Where's John? I thought he was supposed to be with you?"

"He and the big man are down the stairs." Carson nodded. "I've relegated your hounds to remain there. _And_, told them short of a Wraith attack, _not_ to disturb us. We'll be down for dinner when we're good and ready."

"I bet that went over well." Jen grinned to think of Ronon and John being forced to sit and wait.

"Aye." Carson smirked. "I haven't had to wheedle those two in quite some time. Patience was never a virtue."

"No." Jen nodded her agreement. "It's still not."

"Well, then." Carson grinned and picked up the large silver case he'd brought with him, setting it on the small table near the fireplace. "Let's get this wee test over with, and then you owe me a story."

He snapped open the case and extracted several items including a hand-held scanner, a small medical kit, and a full bottle of The Macallan.

"Carson!" She laughed and picked up the heavy scotch.

"Och, ya can't tell a tale without a wee dram o' the good stuff!" He snorted, taking the bottle back and placing it on the table next to two small glasses. "And from what I've heard… You, lassie, have a tale that needs tellin' !"

* * *

"Well, there ya' go." Carson nodded, sliding the scanner around so Jen could see it.

She picked up the small handheld and paged through the data, the confirmation of her originality shining happily back at her. She grinned as Carson extracted the small computer and replaced it with a filled glass of Scotch.

"A toast." He nodded, clinking his equally overflowing glass against hers.

"To what?"

"Clones." He snorted "Without which I wouldnae be here… and neither, dear girl, would you."

Jen burst out laughing, at his undying positivity, and raised her glass. "To clones." She echoed, then braced herself for the burn as she drank it down.

* * *

"Sparring?!" Carson snorted, and refilled her glass. "Och lass, I'd pay a handful to have see that!"

"Well keep your money, 'cause you ain't seein' nuttin." She yanked up the waistband of her trousers and returned to her chair. "Carson!" She waved her hand at the amber liquid. "No more!"

"Or what?" He shoved the glass towards her hand. "You'll knock me on my keister?"

"Don't tempt me." She wriggled her eyebrows and then burst out laughing.

* * *

"When I'm done," Carson nodded, tucking the edge of her collar back up around her neck, and patting her on the shoulder. "You'll have no more than a wee scar to pair with the one on yer hip."

"Carson… I know it sounds so vain… but… I just…"

He patted her hand gently. "I know lass. It's a big reminder to carry around on such wee shoulders."

* * *

"He stun'd ya?"

"Well," Jen shrugged. "Smart really, when you think about it. It's a great anesthetic."

Carson inhaled deeply then exhaled with a snort. "Aye. It would be at that."

"It's funny… well… _now_ it's funny… but for just a minute there, I thought…"

"What?"

"I thought… maybe… he wouldn't believe me."

Carson's eyes narrowed. "And what? Ya' thought he was gonna blast ya' ta' kingdom come?" He scowled at her.

"I know, I know." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Stupid, right?"

"So whaddya' do?"

Jen stared into the small glass in her hand, swirling the golden liquid around before draining it completely. She raised her shoulder and set her empty glass onto the table next to his. "I apologized."

Carson blinked. Blinked again. Then collapsed back in his chair shaking with laughter.

Jen snorted and refilled both their glasses, smiling as he slapped his palm on the table.

"Ah, lass." He finally sniffed when he could breath again. "I've missed ya, Jennifer. I've missed ya."

* * *

"Ya' dinn't"

"I did."

"Dinn't!"

"Did!"

"Och, lass, you're killing me."

"I did!"

"Aye. Ya did, din'n ya, ya' crazy woman!"

* * *

"It's awfully quiet in there." John frowned, glancing sideways at Ronon, who stood beside him in the hallway. The dinner hour had come and gone and neither Jennifer nor Carson had yet appeared. Neither man had seen the other pair in hours, but neither had they come past them down the stairs. They could only be inside. Rapping quickly on the door with his knuckles, John didn't wait for a reply before swinging the door open.

"Good lord." He snorted, eyes quickly scanning the room and landing on the two sole occupants at the table, next to the low burning fire.

Still seated in her chair, Jennifer's head rested on her arms, her eyes closed, and her breathing deep with sleep. The fingers of her right hand still clutched a half-filled glass, which Ronon carefully removed and set aside.

Carson, the empty bottle tucked against him, was reclined back in his seat, his head lolling to the side while he snored softly.

John extracted the bottle and shook his head with a grimace. "This was full when he came in here."

"Yeah, well it's not full now." Ronon snorted as he lifted Jennifer's head off her arms, picked her up, and moved her to the bed. Laying her onto the blankets, he moved to cover her when she let out a very un-ladylike belch and curled into a ball.

Sheppard snorted and moved her vacated chair around to the side, propping Carson's feet up. Tossing an extra blanket over the man he shook his head and picked up the ancient scanner, holding the results out to Ronon. "Guess they were celebrating."

"Hmm." Ronon grunted, shaking his head with amusement. He'd known the results would be positive, but apparently Jennifer hadn't been as sure.

"Well?" John moved towards the door. "Shall we?"

Ronon followed, after giving Jennifer's sleeping form a parting glance.

"Oh would you relax." John chastised. "She'll be fine."

"What'd I do?" Ronon scowled.

John shook his head and clasped Ronon on the shoulder, half shoving him out into the hallway. "Just get your over-protective ass downstairs. No sense letting them have the only hangover tomorrow."

* * *

Jen blinked one eye open to glare at the man squatting next to the head of the bed.

"Morning." Ronon grinned.

"Bah." She frowned, feeling the fuzz behind her teeth and wished desperately for a genuine, Earth made, US Dentist approved toothbrush… and not a Pegasus version with gum ripping bristles. Shoving her hair away from her face she squinted at the bright sunlight streaming in through the window behind his shoulder, then sat up with a gasp. "What time is it? Are we still leaving today? Are we going back to the city? John didn't change his mind or anything did he? The test was positive. Carson said so, right?"

"Jennifer." He stopped her tirade with a quick kiss.

"Ronon, I-"

"You… are coming home… with me… today."

She blinked, unable to believe it was really going to happen. "Promise?" She whispered.

"Promise." He nodded solemnly. "Okay?"

"Okay." She nodded furiously.

He stood up, and stepped away from the bed. "Now come on. You'd better hurry if you want lunch before the kitchen closes for the afternoon."

"What?!" Jen stared at him wide eyed. "How long did I sleep? It's past lunch already?" She looked around the room. "Where's Carson?"

"Downstairs with Sheppard." He eyed her with a slight smirk. "How's the head, anyway?"

"Head?" She shoved the blankets off her lower body and stood up. "Fine. Why?"

Ronon pointed to the empty scotch bottle still sitting in the middle of the small table across the room.

"Oh." Jen laughed and moved off the bed, heading towards the small pitcher of water and her toothbrush. "That."

"Yeah." Ronon nodded. "That."

She shrugged, pouring herself a glass of water. "I'm fine. Scotch doesn't really bother me."

"Really." He eyed her warily as she quickly brushed her teeth.

"Yup." She quickly downed a glass of water and eyed her wrinkled clothing. "Makes me sleep like the dead, though."

"I noticed that."

She grimaced. "Now tequila, however… turns me into a raving lunatic while I'm drinking it, and leaves me for dead the next morning. Damned if I can figure out why I keep drinking it."

"Tequila, huh." He gave her a slow grin when she stepped into him and tilted her head back. "I'll have to make note of that."

"You do that." She laughed softly, then her smile slowly faded. With her fingers twisting into the material of his shirt she blinked up at him. "I'm really going home?" She asked with a whisper.

He kissed her quickly, then pulled her in against him, resting his chin across the top of her head. "You're really going home."

"Tonight?"

"Tonight."

She gave her head a slight shake then let out a soft snort.

"What?" He angled his head, trying to see her face.

She tilted her head back and laughed. "You know what the first thing I want to do is?"

He shook his head.

"Take a shower." She rolled her eyes back with a soft moan. "An hour long, water-tank-draining, skin-burning, hot-water-stealing shower. With real soap. And shampoo. And conditioner. And body wash. No, _scented_ body wash. Vanilla. Or strawberry. And a razor. Definitely a razor. And a loofa. God I'd kill for a loofa."

"Anything else." He asked with a smirk.

"Duh!" She blurted out. "Of course there is! About a dozen different products and crèmes and soaps. Good lord. Have you _never_ seen the inside of a woman's bathroom? Wait… don't answer that."

He raised an eyebrow.

"On second thought, maybe you _should_ answer that…" She frowned up at him.

He angled his head.

"No." She gave her head a definitive shake. "Never mind. Forget it. Forget I asked." She sighed. "But there is _one_ more thing that's an absolute must have."

He waited.

"Someone to scrub my back." She exhaled slowly, and tilted her head back, raising her eyebrows thoughtfully. "Although I have no idea who I'm going to ask." She snaked her arms around his neck and hopped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. "You wouldn't happen to know anyone qualified, would you?"

She didn't give him a chance to answer.


	15. Chapter 15

"You ready?" Ronon asked, stepping up beside Jennifer, moving the hood on her cloak further forward so it completely shadowed her face and features.

"No." She whispered, her heart kicking the back side of her ribs. She leaned around him to watch John dialing the DHD.

"You want to wait a little?" Ronon offered.

"No." She shook her head vehemently.

"You sure?"

"No?"

Ronon let out a soft snort and placed his hand over hers, stilling her fingers, which were madly twisting around themselves. "It's going to be fine." He assured her.

Jen didn't answer. She wanted to believe it was finally happening, but somehow, the thought that it _wasn't_ happening, it was a joke, something would go cosmically wrong, the Stargate wouldn't work, it would send her somewhere else, they'd believe the clone not her… everything swirled around and around while she watched the liquid blue stabilize.

Ronon squeezed her fingers and she realized with embarrassment she was clutching to his hand like a lifeline. She let out a muttered apology and tried to extract her hand but he refused to release it.

"Okay, Doc." John stepped forward. "Shall we?"

She inhaled sharply and nodded, but her mouth whispered "not really" earning her a grin from the Colonel.

He made a face. "It's three am on Atlantis. The gateroom's cleared of everyone except the security team, and Chuck's the only one on the control deck. You're covered enough that no one's going to know who you are."

"Won't they question you bringing some strange woman through?"

John shook his head. "Not if Laura did her job…"

"What job?" She asked as Ronon tugged her towards the gate.

John shook his head. "Best let Laura tell you…"

"Tell me what?" She narrowed her eyes at his evasive tone.

"Come on, lass." Carson moved forward. "No time like the present, so they say."

"Just who is _they_, anyway?" John glanced at Carson as they disappeared through the blue.

Jen took a deep breath as Ronon lead her forward, his fingers gripping hers with finality. Panic settled in with a sudden pounding of her heart and she tried to pull back, but he held tightly, giving her no choice but to walk with him across the event horizon.

* * *

The gateroom was quiet and dark, the dim lighting overpowered by the reflection of the gate. As the event horizon snapped with a fizzled pop, Jen stared around her at the muted gold glow reflecting off the floors and walls.

_Home_.

She was finally home.

She turned her head side to side, slowly taking in all the things she'd once taken for granted. Little things, big things, walls, ceilings, floors.

She stumbled beside Ronon as he lead her out through the gateroom and into the hallway, followed closely by John and Carson. She heard their voices, but was of no frame of mind to understand anything other than the place.

She wanted to touch it – feel it – afraid it was just a dream. Her fingers crushed Ronon's as she fought the urge to run her hands down the walls. To drop and feel the floor beneath her palms. To run her fingers over one of the door access panels they passed on their way to the transporter. She could feel every emotion, every night, every day, every week spent away welling up into her throat.

She didn't realize they'd stopped moving until John lowered his head and repeated his question.

"You okay in there?" He asked softly.

Jen nodded, afraid to speak for fear she'd burst into tears.

The Colonel straightened and turned to Ronon. "You still okay with this?"

Ronon nodded.

"Then we'll see you in the morning."

Jen felt Carson's hand on her shoulder as the Doctor leaned in and gave her a brief hug. "Welcome home, lass." He said softly.

Jen hugged him with her free arm, still refusing to release Ronon's hand. "Thank you." She whispered. "For everything."

He released her and stepped back with a grin. "Aye, lass. Now get some rest." He glared warningly at Ronon. "She has a big day tomorrow."

Ronon snorted.

Jen stared at the transporter as John and Carson stepped inside and disappeared. When the doors opened again, Ronon pulled her inside and jabbed his finger on the screen, sending them deep into the crew area.

She walked beside him in silence, her head turning in every direction possible, trying to see everything. At one point he stepped forward then hesitated, changing his mind and leading her down a side corridor. Sliding the doors open in front of him, he pulled her out onto a narrow balcony.

With one look at the city splayed out beneath her, its lights twinkling like so many small stars, their glow reflected in the gently surging ocean, Jen burst into tears.

"Hey." Ronon frowned and pulled her against him.

She apologized into his shirt, her blurry eyes refusing to release the view. "I'm sorry." She mumbled with a shake to her head. "It's just… It's…"

"I know." He nodded across the top of her head.

"Can we stay for a minute?" She wrapped her arms around his torso, locking her fingers against his back. "Please?"

He took a step back and leaned against the side railing, turning so she could still see the city.

After a few minutes working to compose herself, Jen took a deep breath and swiped the tears from her face. Inhaling the faint scent of the ocean, she leaned back smiled up at him. "I'm really here?"

"Yup." He nodded. "Told ya."

"Yeah." She answered, dropping her head against his chest and staring out at the city. _Her_ city. "You did." She reached out and ran her index finger along the railing, letting out a soft laugh.

"What?"

Jen shook her head, unable to truly explain the urge to just… touch… everything. She stepped away from him, her palms sliding across the cool metal of the railing as she stepped sideways. She pushed the hood away from her face and leaned forward, closing her eyes to the feel of the evening breeze on her face, hearing the ocean far below, smelling the air.

Ronon slid his arms around her waist as he stepped up behind her. She leaned back against him, covering his arms with hers and clutching tightly. He bent around her and kissed her cheek. "We should go."

"I know…" She sighed, then turned in his arms. "Guess there'll be plenty of time for balconies soon enough, huh."

"Mmm-hmm." He nodded, resetting the hood of the cloak further up over her head, hiding her face in the shadows once again. "Come on." He angled his head, reaching for her hand.

Jen slipped her fingers into the warmth of his and let him lead her towards the doors. With a parting glance at her city, she stepped back inside.

"So where am I staying? Some secret hidden room somewhere?" She wondered aloud, thinking of all the unexplored areas and towers. She could probably hide pretty easily in a city this size.

"With me." He interrupted her internal deliberation, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Won't people talk?" Jen raised an eyebrow, but her heart skittered happily.

"That is the plan." He angled his head as they walked quickly down the empty corridor towards his quarters.

"Wait…" Jen's eyes narrowed as she eyed him suspiciously. "What plan? Hey! And what exactly did John mean by if _Laura did her job_…"

Ronon smirked as he swiped the door to his room open.

"Why aren't people going to be talking about some mystery woman coming into the city?" She continued as he pulled her inside.

When he turned towards her and raised the lights, Jen could see the amusement he was trying to hide.

"Ronon…" She prompted. "What exactly is Laura telling everyone?"

He shrugged.

"Oh. My. God." Jen threw back the hood on her cloak and pointed her finger at him. "You're telling people you've got some… some… _woman_ in here, aren't you!"

"Well…" He smirked and grabbed for her. "I do."

"What kind of plan is that?" She gaped, her face flushing with embarrassment.

"A good one." He stepped into her as she tried to move away from him.

"You-" Her words were cut off as he kissed her.

"Stop trying to-" He cut her off again, pulling her further into the room.

"Ronon, I'm-" And again as he yanked the cloak from around her shoulders.

"Quit-" And again as he pulled her towards the bathroom.

"_What_ are you doing?" She finally laughed, giving up.

"Wasn't there something you wanted to do the minute you got back?" He leaned towards his shower and swiped his hand over the control, sending a heated spray cascading out of the overhead piping.

"There was?" She snickered, then gave him a confused frown. "I seem to have forgotten."

He yanked her sweater unceremoniously over her head. "That's okay." The material dropped onto the floor. "I remember."

"I bet you do." She giggled as he quickly divested them both of their clothing and yanked her beneath the spray.

* * *

Jen awoke with a start, her body snapping instantly into full-blown panic as her subconscious struggled to remember where she was. The room was black, the shapes and outlines unfamiliar. Letting out a strangled squeak her body shot upright.

A heated band of solid muscle slid firmly around her waist, halting her frightened flight.

"Hush, little one." Ronon's voice sounded softly behind her, his arm around her waist, his free hand heating her lower back as he urged her back down. "It's all right. You're safe. You're safe."

Jen exhaled slowly, turning to her side and letting him guide her body down onto the mattress. Using his upper arm for a pillow, she lay against him, her heart beat slowly returning to a normal rhythm.

Ronon reseated the blankets, tucking them snuggly around her.

"Whoo." She exhaled when she could control her lungs once more. "Sorry."

He kissed the top of her head, and dropped his free arm across her hip, pinning her to the bed. "Go back to sleep." He whispered against her ear.

"Yeah." She mumbled. "Easy for you, maybe."

"Not when you keep screaming yourself awake like that."

"I did _not_ scream."

"Close enough."

"Not even." She whispered, and kissed his bare chest. "Now hush. I'm trying to sleep."

Ronon grinned at her and lowered his head to his pillow. "Apparently."

After a few moments silence, he snorted when she whispered his name. "You're supposed to be sleeping." He reminded her.

"What do you think is going to happen?" She asked softly.

He sighed, knowing her question was directed at the meeting scheduled first thing in the morning. The meeting that both Rodney and the other Jennifer thought was a mission briefing.

"I don't know." He answered honestly, feeling her breath hitch and catch as she burrowed her face against his chest and inhaled deeply.

"I'm scared." She whispered.

He tightened his hold on her, willing her peace of mind. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, she should know that, and he told her as much.

She nodded mutely, then shook her head. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You won't."

"But-"

"Hush." He ordered softly. "Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Always." She nodded quickly.

"Then sleep." He kissed her forehead. "And let me do the worrying."

"_You_ don't worry."

"Bet?" He thought of all the hours he'd spent with her welfare directly affecting his concentration since he'd found her again.

"Yup." She nodded, lifting her head off his shoulder. Cupping his jaw with her palm she turned his face towards her, and kissed him lightly. "_I_ worry. _You_... shoot stuff."

His chest shook with laughter. "Deal." He pulled her back down and wedged her in beside him, lifting the blankets back up around her.

"That was a statement. Not an offer." She smiled against his shoulder.

He kissed her forehead, his fingers playing with a lock of her hair. She settled in against him with a loud yawn.

"Ronon?" She whispered after a few moments silence.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you." She paused. "For... everything. For... for believing."

"Sleep, little one." He ordered softly.

"Then stop talking…" She whispered around a yawn, leaving him smiling up into the darkness as she snuggled into him and drifted off to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Jen clutched Ronon's offered fingers like a lifeline, her chest so tight with apprehension it was starting to ache. Ronon pulled her into a recessed doorway, spinning her around so she faced him. He snorted softly when she immediately threw herself against his chest.

"You're going to hyperventilate." He chastised softly, hooking his arms around her and propping his chin on the top of her head.

"Too late." Jen muttered, squeezing her eyes shut, hiding inside his strength and warmth.

"It's going to be fine."

"It's not." She tapped her forehead against his collarbone. "It's Pegasus. This place hates me." She felt his laughter rumbling up through his chest. "It's not funny!" She wailed, leaning back and whacking his upper arm with her palm. "You watch!" She frowned, shaking her head. "The roof is going to fall in. Or the… the city will think I'm a virus and try to quarantine me. Or… or… the… the clone's going to turn out not to be clone… Or maybe she's really a replicator. Or what if she's a me from another reality! Oh god what if I'm from another reality!"

"Jennifer!" Ronon interrupted her with an incredulous smirk. "Lords, woman." He snorted softly and dropped his chin, lowering his head so he could look directly into her eyes. "_Everything_ is going to be fine."

She let out a strangled snort of dismay, wishing she had even a fraction of his belief… because right now she had nothing but the little voice inside her head running around in panicked circles screaming about how this was about to go horribly wrong.

The Colonel had scheduled their meeting in a distant corner of the city, an out of the way section no one would normally have any need to be in. Safety in seclusion should their clone turn into a psychopath the minute her origins were revealed.

But also a location that was so far removed, help would take a while…

"Don't you dare leave me alone in there." She ordered, poking him in the chest with her index finger. "I don't care if the… the… freekin' Wraith… are storming the castle…"

"Castle?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean!"

He nodded and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, stepping into her and pinning her against the back wall of the alcove. "I'm not going anywhere." He promised, sealing the deal with a long kiss that left her mind pretty much vacant and her knees a little more than just wobbly.

"Whooo." She exhaled, blinking dumbly up at him. She shook her head. Blinked again, then flashed him a smile. "Do that again."

"Hmm." He nodded, complying.

* * *

"Get lost?" Evan teased when Ronon led her around the last corner and guided her down a dimly lit hallway.

Jen glared at the Major, torn between hugging him and hitting him, so she settled for ignoring him in place of staring at the armed security team stationed next to the closed door a few feet away.

Sanchez and Ellis - Evan's team members.

Two men she'd travelled with. Laughed with. Survived with. Yet both stared at her as though they weren't sure if _she _were the intruder. Jen fought the overwhelming urge to turn on her heel and run straight back to Ronon's quarters. She stood frozen, staring at the two men, who were watching her just as intently.

"It's going to be fine." Evan stepped up beside her.

"So everyone's here already?" She whispered, not taking her eyes off Sanchez and Ellis.

Evan nodded, then followed her gaze over his shoulder to the door and the guards, giving the men a frown. He let out an exasperated sigh. "All right." He rolled his eyes and stepped back, his tone high and sarcastic, as though he were talking to children. "Fine. Go ahead…"

Ellis let out a whoop and stepped forward, dropping his grip on his P90 to grab Jen around the waist and pick her up in a giant bear hug.

"Welcome home, Doc." He laughed when Jen let out a surprised squeak. He set her quickly down and Sanchez shoved him out of the way, leaning down to give Jen a tight hug.

"Good to have you back, Doc." The young Captain gave her a loud, sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"We heard about what you've been up to..." Ellis nodded.

"Sounds like Zelenka's going to have to up his scale." Sanchez grinned.

Jen laughed at her own emotional stupidity and covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes moving to Evan, then Ronon, both of whom where watching with amusement. When she turned back towards the two Marines, she was blinking furiously in an attempt to keep the traitorous tears at bay.

"Way to go, jackass." Ellis winked at Jen then punched Sanchez in the arm. "Now you've gone and upset her."

"No, _I_ made her smile. Your sad attempt at a greeting was obviously lacking in warmth and affection." Sanchez turned a pleading, puppy dog face towards Jen. "I'm still your favorite, right?"

Evan eyed Ronon and shrugged. "Kids these days." Then he stepped forward. "Pester her later, boys. Right now it's show time."

Sanchez made a face, slipping back towards his post by the door.

Ellis took the opposite side of the entrance, and nodded at Jen. "You'll fill us in later, right?" He whispered conspiratorially.

Jen nodded and stepped forward, flanked on her right by Ronon, and on her left by Evan.

"You ready?" Evan asked, nodding at Sanchez to open the door.

She shook her head as the Captain swiped his hand over the access panel.

"She's ready." Ronon answered pointedly.

Jen barely had time to inhale before the door slid to the side and she was herded in through the opening.

The room was large and empty save for a few scattered shipping creates, and the people standing around them.

John.

Teyla.

Laura.

Carson.

Rodney.

And herself.

Jen was pretty sure she'd never forget the frozen and shocked expression on Rodney's face as his eyes snapped from the Jennifer to his right, to the Jennifer standing across the room.

It was his startled squeak that sounded a lot like _replicator_ that kicked everything off.

And everyone started speaking at once.

* * *

"How long have they been in there?" Richard Woolsey asked, stepping up to the window of the second floor observation deck.

John glanced at his watch, then looked up. "Three and a half hours now."

"Really." Richard blinked, pressing his face closer to the glass.

Sitting at a small table in the middle of the room below, both Jennifer's were leaning forward on their elbows, their conversation looking rather… amicable. The only other occupant of the room was Dr. Beckett, and his head bobbled back and forth between the two ladies as though he was judging a tennis match.

Richard blinked.

A clone mediating a meeting with a clone.

There was a joke in there somewhere.

Richard shook away the oddity of that thought and studied the two women. Heads nodding or shaking, shoulders moving, hands flipping as they accented their words… they looked like twins sitting at a café.

Absolutely identical twins.

As he watched, Richard realized it actually didn't bother him. Considering twins ran in his family. In fact… he realized he was actually quite used to seeing two identical people standing side-by-side. Then he decided with a curt nod that the issue arose when he considered that one of the women was _not _a twin… but instead, a laboratory created duplicate. And the more he thought on it, the more he considered it a topic worthy of a lot more thought over a glass of bourbon.

If not for the difference in clothing – one wearing a regulation uniform, the other in jeans and a sweater – he'd not be able to tell them apart.

"How can we be sure which one is which?" He mused aloud.

"We know." Both Ronon and Rodney echoed, prompting Richard to look away from the glass to the Satedan to his left, then the scientist to his right.

Both men were staring at the main floor with a wary concern. Where Ronon stood with arms crossed and feet wide, his stance closed and guarded, Rodney stood against the glass, his weight on the railing he gripped with strained white knuckles.

Richard upped his thoughts on the glass of bourbon to a full bottle. Two team members and two identical women.

Okay, maybe two bottles.

He sighed and turned towards the only uninvolved man.

He hoped.

_Oh hell… _Block that thought. He pinched the bridge of his nose and reseated his glasses. "And do we have a solution?"

John shook his head. "Not yet." He angled his chin. "They've asked us to keep out of it until they finish _discussing_." John held his fingers up, making quote symbols in the air in front of the window.

"Is that wise?" Richard blinked in surprise.

John shot him a warning glare.

"She's not going to hurt anyone." Rodney said with disgust.

"We never said she was." John said reassuringly.

"Yeah, well that's what you're thinking, isn't it." Rodney scowled.

"Rodney…" John began, but the scientist cut him off with a dismissive wave.

"Well…" Richard blinked and backed away. "Keep me informed."

The Colonel nodded and turned back to the window, threading his arms over his chest and resuming his observatory position, strategically placed between Ronon and Rodney.

In this particular moment of time, Richard was very, very glad he was able to defer responsibility to the military commander.

Very, very glad.

.

.

.

**_Don't worry - next chapter is the Jen's conversation with each other. :P - Thanks for hanging on! :) - Nika_**


	17. Chapter 17

"I could sit here for weeks-"

"-and _never_ get used to this."

"I keep expecting you to-"

"-move at the same time? I know! It's so-"

"-freeking creepy. I want to start making jerky motions-"

"-just to see if you follow…"

Both women burst into laughter.

As their mirth trailed off, Jen shook her head with a sigh. She straightened her legs and crossed her ankles. Seated on the floor with their backs to the wall they both glanced straight up at the window frames on the second floor above their heads.

Her clone's expression turned sober, and Jen wondered if her own looked as serious. They still hadn't figured out what they were going to do with each other. There couldn't be more than one CMO, for obvious reasons, and while having _two_ Jennifer Keller's in the city would be a bonus medically, Richard Woolsey had already ruled that out as impossible. Splitting duty would be too difficult with paperwork and all the other insanity that came with the job. They couldn't send one back to Earth without raising a thousand questions of ethics and morals... and how the hell would they keep track of who was doing what? It wasn't like they shared the same mind… just the same package.

Jen sighed again and glanced at her double.

"You think they're still up there?" The clone asked, her voice quiet.

Jen nodded. "Yeah."

"They have to be going insane…"

"Rodney and Ronon?" Jen asked with an incredulous smirk. "Happy to be watching and waiting?"

"Mmm." Her duplicate agreed with a smile. Then she sighed and angled her head, letting her mouth quirk up. She dropped her voice to a low whisper. "Come on… Ronon? Really?" She asked with a inquiring grin.

Jen shrugged then nodded, thinking of her counterpart dating Rodney. She leaned closer, knowing the sensors in the room were broadcasting their conversation to the observation floor. "I could say the same about Rodney…" She smiled, her voice soft and hushed. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I love Rodney… I just…"

Her clone laughed quietly. "I know. I get that a lot, actually." She whispered back. "He gets a bad rap from the guys, I think."

Jen nodded. "I know. People think he's a little…"

"Arrogant?"

"Oh yeah."

"Well… he is." The second Jennifer nodded. "But that's probably one of the things I love most about him. It's a total contradiction. On one hand you have this guy who's more socially inept than we are…" She laughed. Yet his mind is absolutely amazing. The way he lights up whenever he comes across something new and different? It's like watching a little kid at Christmas – every day. I mean sure, it's annoying when he's so buried that he forgets me… but…" She smiled. "He's so cute when he does that stuttered apology thing…"

Jen laughed. Yes, she could agree with that. Rodney was smart and distracted and it _was_ kind of cute the way he got so lost in what he was doing… but… well… not that cute! And no matter how many times she'd tried to tell him after Katie left that he would find someone… she never once expected it to, well, be herself! She shook her head with a laugh. "Does he know about the fan club yet?"

Her double snorted. "No. He has absolutely no clue he has this posse of women who'd take him up on just about any offer – including a couple of Marines. Being the city savior carries some weight, I guess."

Jen made a face. "And you?"

"Big needles, remember?" She grinned. "They know who calls the shots."

"No pun intended." The two women echoed.

"I don't know…" The clone shrugged. "I just can't figure out how he can't see it. But… I don't mind. I'll watch out for him." She winked. "I'm the only one allowed to call him arrogant. Well, and John, of course."

Jen laughed. "Good girl."

"Besides… I think we're _all_ a little arrogant out here." Her double shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Especially when it comes to knowing who you really are."

Jen leaned to the side, banging into her double with her shoulder, giving her a friendly nudge. "Makes you wonder if… we… should have taken that offer, huh."

"I dunno." She shrugged with a smirk. "Wouldn't have been nearly as exciting. I mean… sure you'd have readily accessible takeout… and spa's… God I'd kill for a full body, mani-pedi, and a cucumber peel…" Jen trailed off wistfully. "Shopping… malls… stores…"

"Cheesecake…" They both sighed, then laughed.

"No wraith," The clone continued. "No crazy planets with people trying to kidnap you all the time, no vampire bugs, alternate realities, wormholes…" She trailed off with a shrug.

"Yeah you're right." Jen snorted. "We'd have been bored to tears."

"It was good offer though."

Jen pursed her lips and glanced up the wall to the second floor. "Was it?"

Both women paused, then shook their heads, grinning. "No."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before the double leaned closer and whispered her question.

"You have to tell me about Ronon."

Jen raised an eyebrow.

"Not that!" Her clone blushed then laughed. "Well, okay, maybe that too… but no I mean… how? How did… It's just… how could two identical people choose such…"

"Different men?"

"Well, yeah!"

"I don't know." Jen answered honestly.

"When did it change?" Her clone whispered, leaning closer. "How did you know? The only thing, from what you've told me…"

"Was all that time in the gym." Jen whispered back. "I know." She took a deep breath. It was a topic she'd thought about over and over, ever since she'd heard about her double and Rodney. "You should have seen him…" Jen said softly, her mind filling with the memories. "He's such an amazing teacher. And his voice… he never raised it, never got mad, never stopped even when I made the same mistakes over and over. He's incredibly patient."

"Ronon?" Her clone raised an eyebrow.

"Oh hush!" Jen snorted softly. "Yes, Ronon. Everyone says he's so… gruff and closed and hard to read… but he's not. Not once you realize it's all just a shield. He's like… this giant, protective… teddy bear."

"Teddy bear." Her double snorted, then grinned. "So if I take sparring lessons…?" She asked with a thoughtful smirk.

"Find your own instructor." Jen narrowed her gaze and shot her double a mock glare. "Or I'll take you down myself."

The clone laughed and held up her hands in surrender. "Don't worry. Evan's already offered teach me a few things."

"You asked him?"

"Yeah." She grinned. "I did. And we both know Laura would kick his ass if he said no."

"Damn straight!" A voice called from the doorway and both women turned to face Laura Cadman, who was striding purposely into the room. "Up and at 'em ladies."

Both women climbed to their feet. "Why? What's wrong?" They asked.

Laura stopped and eyed them with a theatrical shudder. "I'll never get used to that whole dual-thought-process thing…" Then she shrugged. "I'm here to spring you two."

"Spring us?" The Jen's exchanged a glance. "But we haven't finished-"

"You're done. I've already figured it all out. I'll fill you in tomorrow. In the mean time…" Laura stepped in between them and turned, hooking her right arm through Jen's and her left through the clone's. Then she turned them all towards the still open doorway. "Woolsey's letting you go."

"Go where?" The clone asked.

"Out. Into the city. Away from this fishbowl. With me." Laura laughed. "Oh would you two relax, it's fine! Trust me!"

"But…" Jen glanced up at the second floor, but the observation deck was empty.

"Woolsey's booked them into some report reading session so they'll be awhile. And I told them if they didn't clean up and shower after, they'd both be banned from the evening's festivities."

"Festivities?" Jen raised an eyebrow. "What festivities?"

"_Our_ festivities!" Laura nodded happily. "Two of us are bad enough, can you imagine the trouble… er… fun… I meant fun… that three of us could have… I'm all a-flutter just thinking about it…"

"You don't _flutter_…" Jen frowned.

"No, it's more of a maniacal shake…" The clone confirmed, wiggling her hands in the air in front of her body. "And I'm not so sure this is a good idea."

"Me either." Jen added.

"Look." Laura stopped, her head spinning back and forth between the two Jen's. "Rodney's confirmed there's no hidden tracker. Carson's confirmed that there's no secret nanites or non-human DNA. You're human. You're a human clone. Big whoop. The Colonel and the Major have assured Woolsey you're _both_ harmless… although I have issue with that statement… but regardless, they've released you into my _personal_ care."

"Really?" The clone questioned cautiously.

"Would I lie to you?" Laura pouted.

"Yes." Both women answered quickly, resulting in a burst of laughter from the Lieutenant.

Laura yanked them forward. "Oh this is gonna be fun…"


	18. Chapter 18

**_Author's notes: This chapter is a little long, and pure silliness, but transitional. Poor Jen deserved a break. :) Tomorrow they'll get to hear Laura's big plan. -Nika_**

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me…" Rodney shook his head as he fell into step next to the Colonel and the Major.

Ronon jogged up behind them. "What…"

"Woolsey did not release them to Cadman?" The scientist looked incredulous. "That was… six hours ago! Do you have any idea the kind of trouble that woman can cause?"

"Jennifer?" John frowned… "Or… Jennifer?" He looked at Evan. "We need a better naming convention."

"No, Cadman." Rodney sighed with exasperation. "And you can't re-name her. She's still a person…"

"Cadman?" John frowned. "She already has a name."

"No, Jennifer!" Rodney corrected with a sharp nod. Then he shook his head. "The… other… Jennifer…" He frowned. "Oh hell…"

"Jen and Jenny?" Evan suggested, ignoring the scientist.

"Too easy." John shook his head. "Real and Not Real?"

"You lookin' get your ass kicked?" Evan raised his eyebrows.

"What?" John shook his head, his brow furrowed with confusion.

"Real and Not Real?" Evan repeated, pointing to his upper chest. "And just which one are you going to accuse of being _not real_…" He glanced over his shoulder at Ronon, then turned back towards John. "I'd be careful how you answer that."

"Right." John nodded. "Yeah, that probably wouldn't go over so well."

"No." Evan shook his head. "Not so much…"

"Spiderman and Spidercide?" John blurted out.

Rodney let out an exasperated snort and eye roll.

"Fine – if not clones, then twins?" John suggested. "Luke and Leia? The Bobsey Twins? Oh wait!" He snapped his fingers then pointed at Evan, imitating Rodney's quirk. "The Wonder twins!"

"Only if you're Gleek…" Evan eyed his CO with wary amusement as the foursome turned towards the transporter.

"_What_ are you two talking about?" Ronon followed them into the transport.

"We can't keep calling them Jen and Jen…" John shook his head.

"Yes we can." Ronon and Rodney both answered at the same time.

John glanced sideways at Evan. "Okay _that_ was weird."

The transporter doors opened and Rodney huffed out, followed by John and Evan. Ronon paused in the entrance, staring after the trio.

"Who the hell are the Wonder Twins!?" He called in exasperation, before striding after them.

* * *

Rodney stopped so abruptly upon walking into Laura's room that both Evan and John slammed into him with muttered curses. Ronon had the foresight to pause in the hallway and thus miss the jam up. But barely. He'd eventually shoved his way past the Major to stand inside the room, and he was pretty sure his expression matched that of the other three.

Disbelief.

Rambunctious music blasted from the laptop in the corner, drowned out by the laughter and screeching of the group inside the room.

Ronon, like the others, had absolutely no idea where to look first.

Sitting at a small table to the left of the door, sat Teyla, Ellis and Sanchez. Wearing only his boxers and combat boots, Ellis glared across the table at Sanchez, who was also down to his briefs. Teyla, still fully clothed with the exception of her bare feet, smiled at the newcomers. "You're late."

Rodney made a slightly strangled noise and pushed past Evan, moving to the other side of Cadman's small quarters.

"Left foot red." A mechanical voice chanted.

"Fuck!" Cadman cursed, and everyone turned to face a shapely ass sticking straight up in the air, the owner bent sharply over another body, which was balanced awkwardly across the twister mat. One of the women moved, then lost her balance, sending both to the mat in a tangle of body parts and long hair.

With a screeching laugh Laura sat up and shoved Jennifer's upper body of her lap. Jennifer snorted and giggled, then let out a huge belch.

Ronon raised his eyebrows. Jennifer's face was flush red – but this time it wasn't from embarrassment.

She was fully, and completely…

_Drunk_?

Laura laughed to see them all standing inside her quarters, then her eyes landed on Ronon's expression. "Don't worry…" She giggled, then pointed to Rodney. "This one's yours."

"My…" Rodney shook his head. "Mine?"

Jennifer burped again and wriggled her fingers at the scientist. "Honey I'm home!" She sang, then burst into laughter, flopping over onto the Lieutenant.

A shout from behind turned everyone back towards the card game. Teyla spread her cards on the table in front of her and grinned at the two Marines.

Sanchez whooped again and pointed at Ellis, slamming his fist on the table with a loud laugh. "Damn, dude! You _suck_ at poker!"

Ellis scowled, then broke into a grin as he kicked his boots into the corner, leaving him with only his boxers to keep him in the game. He clasped Sanchez on the shoulder and wriggled his eyebrows at Teyla. "It's all part of the plan…"

Teyla rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on!" A shout from the back corner of the room and the four men stepped forward, angling to see around the half-folded partition Cadman had erected to divide the living area from the sleeping area.

With her face equally as flushed as her counterpart, the real Jennifer stood in the corner, dressed in a pair of very tight blue jeans that rode low on her hips, and a white tank top.

_A very __thin white tank top_, Ronon thought with a frown. One that clearly outlined a lace edged white bra with spaghetti straps. She held her arms straight out, with Lieutenant Browne eyeing her… very… thoroughly. From her head, to her toes, then back again, angling around the side, and bending to stare at her… ass?

Ronon blinked in surprise and leaned forward.

Laura shoved a still giggling Jennifer off her lap and stood up, blocking his path. "Thing 1 bet Browne he couldn't figure out where she's hiding the knife."

"Knife?" Evan repeated, stepping up beside Ronon.

"Thing 1?" John queried.

"Thing 1 and Thing 2!" Jennifer giggled as Rodney helped her up off the floor. "That makes Laura the cat." She explained while Laura took a dramatic, flourishing bow, then meowed.

"You didn't think of that one…" Evan prodded Sheppard.

John scowled.

"I told you not to take the bet…" Sanchez tisked at Browne as he moved to stand next to the others.

Ronon shot him a glance, noting with complete confusion that the Marine was still wearing only his underwear.

"Game's not over yet…" The Captain replied to Ronon's look with a saucy grin.

Teyla just laughed, and moved to stand beside John and Evan.

"I see you've stopped taking their money at least." John chastised her.

Teyla shrugged. "This is equally entertaining… if not more so."

"Uh-huh." Evan nodded, eyeing his unclothed team members.

Ellis grinned and shrugged, handing his CO two cans of beer.

Evan snorted, and accepted the beer, one of which he promptly thrust at Sheppard before cracking the seal on his own and taking a long drink.

"Okay, how many guesses left?" Browne asked thoughtfully and stepped back.

Jennifer laughed. "Just one!"

"Crap!" Browne frowned.

Jennifer shook her head and held up her index finger. "Boot was one…" Then she added a second finger. "Pant leg was second."

"Pants?" Evan looked at Ronon, then John, then Laura.

"Browne guessed she was keeping it in her boot first…" Laura explained.

The clone Jennifer giggled. "Too easy."

"Then he said pant leg…" Laura added.

"Again… too easy." The clone snorted.

"How do you know she's not lying?" Evan suggested with a raised eyebrow.

Laura shook her head. "She can't just say no… she's gotta _prove_ it's not there. We've already ruled out that it's not in her socks, boots, or pant legs…"

"Ruled out?" John glanced at Laura.

Laura laughed and pointed to Jen's bare feet, sticking out from beneath the bottom hem of her jeans. "Boots came off… and we patted her down."

"Patted… her down." Evan frowned, glancing over his shoulder at Ronon.

Ellis shrugged. "Had to be sure…"

Ronon almost laughed at the way the others were watching him, watching her. As though they expected him to toss her over his shoulder and carry her away. He shook his head with amusement, eyes locked on Jennifer while she laughed. This was definitely a side of her he hadn't seen before, and he was actually quite interested to see if Browne could figure it out.

"One guess huh…" Browne glared at Jennifer and dropped his eyes to her chest.

"That's your final answer?" Jen turned back to the Lieutenant with her eyebrows raised. She pursed her lips.

"And just how are you going to prove this one?" Evan queried.

"She's not taking it off, is she?" Rodney glanced at Laura.

"No…" Sanchez grunted in disgust, then he grinned at Jen. "Unless she wants too…"

Jen gave the Captain an _in-your-dreams_ glare.

"Thing 2 went with her into the bathroom when she hid it." Laura announced. "She's our impartial judge."

"Impartially schnockered…" John said with a snort as the clone stumbled over Rodney's foot in an attempt to move closer. Sheppard shook his head slowly. "What if they're in it together… Solidarity and all that?"

"I… do not… lie." Jennifer hiccupped and jabbed her finger into the middle of the Colonel's chest.

"You still can't hold your liquor either…" Laura chimed in.

"Pffft." The clone raspberried Laura.

"Apparently not." Evan agreed, then pointed at the real Jennifer. "What's her excuse?"

"Oh she's trashed." Laura grinned. "How else could I talk her into it?"

"I can hear you…" Jennifer glowered at her friend.

"Laura gave Ronon a disgruntled glare. "Apparently she's learned a few things from a certain Satedan-"

"Okay so back to the bet…" John interrupted quickly.

"Thing 1 has two inches of pointy silver…" The clone turned and waggled her index finger around at Jennifer. "… in her clothes there somewhere… and Mister Brown has three guesses to find it. He's already blown two of them."

Browne, who'd been staring hard at Jennifer the entire time, glanced over his shoulder to where the others were all standing gathered around, watching the show. He lingered a second longer on Ronon before throwing his arms up in the air and turning back to Jennifer. "Okay yes." He said with a firm nod. "That's my final answer. It's between the girls."

"The _girls_?" Ellis snorted.

Brown scowled. "There's ladies present."

"Breasts is the proper word." Sanchez nodded, his face serious.

Evan coughed. "Okay enough talk about the Doc's…"

"Boobs?" Laura suggested loudly. "Melons? Tits?"

"Thank you Lieutenant Thesaurus…" Rodney muttered, snagging his Jennifer's arm before she toppled over in laughter. He guided her into one of the empty chairs in the corner and turned her to sit down.

"Well?" Browne eyed Jennifer eagerly.

She shook her head sadly and lowered her arms.

"No!" Browne shouted. "Come on! Seriously?"

She nodded. "Seriously."

"Crap!" The Lieutenant shouted, much to the amusement of his team mates. Browne turned towards Ellis and Sanchez, and eyed them maniacally. "Fine – you think it's so easy, you guess."

"Oh no…" Sanchez waved him off. "Not me thanks."

"So not going there…" Ellis snorted.

Jen held her arms out again. "One guess…" She taunted, glancing from John to Evan to Ronon and back again.

"And what do I win?" Evan smirked.

"It's the same bet." Laura backhanded him across the chest. "Twenty bucks."

"Well there's not much… real estate left…" John suggested.

Teyla frowned and glanced at the Colonel. "Real estate?"

Ronon cleared his throat, and all eyes turned towards him.

"Yeah like that's fair…" Rodney called out, as the Satedan stepped towards a widely grinning Jen.

"Why not?" Browne raised his eyebrows.

"Because he hides knifes as entertainment…" Laura snickered.

Ronon stopped in front of Jen, who scowled up at him.

"You feelin' lucky? Punk?" She growled.

Evan coughed on his beer, earning him a hearty pat on the back from his CO.

Ronon swirled his index finger in the air and Jen snickered, spinning slowly around in a circle.

"Too easy." He blinked when she finished her three-sixty.

"Think so?" She challenged saucily, earning her a whoop from Laura.

Ronon nodded, and stepped up to her so his chest was almost touching hers. He leaned forward and reached all the way around to the far side, then tucked his index finger into the waist band of her jeans. He slowly dragged his finger between her skin and the waistband, and Jennifer rotated against the turn, giving the others quite a show as he hooked his finger completely around her torso. When he returned all the way around to where he started, he slowly removed his hand, then broke out into a wide grin.

Jennifer laughed and stepped back with her arms held wide. "Anyone else?"

Laura whooped and clapped, and the others instantly broke into a raucous laughter.

Jennifer turned back to Ronon and angled her head. "Give up?"

He nodded. "I cede."

"Did he just call uncle?" Evan grinned at John.

"Okay _now_ I've seen everything…" Sheppard shook his head and too a long drink from his can of beer, hiding his laughter.

Jen giggled and stepped forward, crooking her index finger towards Ronon. He leaned closer and dropped his head. She lifted herself up onto her tip-toes and whispered in his ear.

Ronon tried very, very hard not to look at where she'd just told him she'd stashed the small blade. The urge to repeat his earlier search – and the new one - heated his blood. He stared down at her and saw the challenge in her eyes… and he grinned, accepting. Taking a quick step forward he bent, dropped his weight, wrapped his arm quickly around her waist and stood, flipping her over his shoulder.

"Nite!" He called out as he pushed past the others and crossed the room to the doorway, with Jennifer laughing and waving goodbye.

"Where is it!" Browne protested as they moved into the hallway. "You can't just leave!"

"Oh, come on!" Ellis shouted after them. "That's not even legal!"

The remaining group turned towards their host.

"Does that mean he won?" Evan asked.

"Don't look at me!" Laura laughed. "I have no idea!"

Eyes moved to the back of the room, where Rodney shook his head at the woman flopped half across him, completely asleep.

"Oh well." Ellis sighed sadly, then abruptly clapped his hands and grinned at Teyla. "I bet you Sanchez' boxers he won't win the next hand?!"

Teyla laughed and held her hand out towards the table. "After you."


	19. Chapter 19

The first thought Ronon had as he closed the door behind him, was that he was going to have to remember to move his bed out of direct eyeshot of the doorway and the corridor beyond.

The second thought he had promptly dropped directly to his lower body, along with most of his cognitive reasoning, when the half naked woman in his bed slowly blinked open her eyes and graced him with a sleepy smile. Lying on her stomach, she was sprawled across his bed, the blanket barely covering her lower body.

"Mmm…" Jen lazily swiped her hair from her eyes. With a catlike stretch she arched her back, letting out a small grunt of contentment as she snuggled forward across his pillow. "You're up early."

"It's noon." He snorted.

"What!" She sat up abruptly, the sheet falling quickly away as she scrambled up off the bed and pushed past him. "Crap! I need to shower! I was supposed to meet Laura!"

Kicking off his boots, Ronon dutifully followed the sexy, naked backside as she scurried past him and into his bathroom.

"What are you doing?" She laughed as he quickly stripped off his shirt and trousers and pushed her into the shower.

"Helping you get ready." He grinned, swiping his hand over the controls. Heated water cascaded down around them as he guided her under the spray. "With your luck," He wrapped his arms around her lower body and pulled her tightly against his chest. "You could slip and fall."

"Ah. Well we can't have that," she pursed her lips, sliding her hands up his chest and hooking her fingers around his neck. "Can we…"

* * *

"Sorry I'm late…" Jen exhaled as she hurried into the empty storage room.

"Yeah I bet you are." Laura snorted, wriggling her eyebrows.

Jen glared at her best friend, going for haughty but losing it in the burn that flushed up her cheeks.

"Yeah…" Laura nodded. "I figured as much."

Jen rolled her eyes in exasperation, but couldn't stop her own grin from forming. "Yeah, okay fine." She laughed.

"Don't worry." Laura grinned maniacally. "You're secret's safe with me."

"Pfft." Jen snorted. "The day _you_ can keep a secret…"

"Hey!" Laura tried her best to look offended. "I kept your little clone-twin-secret, didn't I?"

Jen laughed and threw her arms around her best friend. "Yes, you did. And I will owe you forever and ever and ever."

"Damn right." Laura nodded, hugging her back. "And I'm soooo going to collect on that little favor."

Jen let her go with a shove and a snort. "As long as I don't get arrested…"

Laura raised an eyebrow. "Would I do that to you?"

"Hell yeah." Jen pursed her lips and stared at her friend.

Laura blinked then burst out laughing. "You're right. I would."

"Mmmm." Jen nodded in agreement. "Now… what's this big secret plan of yours?" She looked around the empty room. "And where are the others?"

"I told Carson and Thing 2 to be here in 5 minutes." Laura winked. "I figured you'd be late… needing help getting dressed and all that."

"Oh would you stop!" Jen plopped her hands on hips and glared, her face flushing even further, which only made Laura laugh harder.

"Okay… okay…" Laura snickered, her laugh tapering off. "Ahh… you make me laugh, J."

"Glad to be the source of your amusement." Jen grimaced.

Laura snorted. "Okay so… the real reason why I called you all here today…"

"All?" Jen eyed the empty storage room.

"Yeah well, I wanted to talk to you first." Laura made a face. "After all you are number one Jen."

"That I am." Jen agreed.

Laura glanced at her watch. "Coles notes?"

Jen nodded. "Summarize me, baby."

"We can't keep you both here." Laura began. "Woolsey's already killed that idea."

"True."

"And we can't send the clone home."

"True." Jen nodded, not even wanting to consider the consequences of having her duplicate self impersonating her on Earth. Not that she'd be impersonating… but… she'd be with her friends… her Dad… and if Jen decided to go home, how would she remember what happened, what was said? And hell, it was _her_ friends and father anyway…

"And you'll admit she knows just as much as you do about medicine, right?" Laura continued, breaking into Jen's mental tirade.

Jen nodded. "Yes. Of course."

"Do you agree she could make a difference out here?"

"Yeah…" Jen exclaimed, almost following it with a _duh_.

"Good." Laura grinned.

"Um… okay that still doesn't tell me anything."

Laura smiled. "I know."

"Laura…" Jen warned.

But Laura only grinned as she moved past her towards the two people entering through the hallway. Carson and the clone stepped into the room, and after a brief round of good-morning's, Laura clapped her hands together then rubbed them furiously.

"All right lassie," Carson rolled his eyes. "We all know you've got the master plan, so out with it. Some of us have work ta' do while the sun is still up."

"Work, huh." Laura narrowed her eyes. "Want some help?"

"Och, Lass, I'd love a second set of hands… With all these test results to run it's like trying to wade through…" Carson paused and eyed Laura warily. "What'r you grinnin' at?"

Both Jen's gasped at the same time and turned towards the Lieutenant, who began to laugh.

"Well?" Laura looked from Jen to the clone, then back again. "Good idea, right?"

Jen turned to her clone. "It is!"

"What is?" Carson asked, his head bobbing between the trio of females.

"Wow." The clone answered, her eyes wide with understanding. "Actually… it's pretty freekin' brilliant!"

"What's brilliant?" Carson furrowed his brow and turned towards the duplicate Jen.

"I know!" Laura exclaimed. "Wrap me up and call me Einstein."

"It's so simple!" Jen stared at her clone, who was now smiling broadly. "Shit!"

"We don't lose anything either. Not really." The clone nodded happily. "I mean, it'll be some time away, but nothing worse than working with…"

"Doctors without Borders." Jen finished the thought. "Exactly! I mean, you'd still be here, right. And it's not like we wouldn't need you."

"And you can visit anytime, too!" Laura added, bouncing back and forth on her heels.

"It's perfect!" The clone laughed. "Laura you're a genius."

"Well, duh." Laura grinned.

A sharp, piercing whistle split the air and all three women stopped talking immediately, and turned towards Carson.

The doctor removed his fingers from the edges of his mouth and nodded appreciatively. "Right. Now if ya wouldn't mind filling me in on your happy little plan?"

Jen grinned at her clone, who sidestepped up to Carson and threaded her arm through his. "Carson…" She said sweetly.

"Yes love?" Carson answered warily.

"How would you like some company?" The duplicate winked at Laura. "On a more… _permanent_… basis?"

Carson blinked from the clone, to Laura, to Jen, then back again. A slow, dawning smile crossed his lips and his confused expression slid quickly into a dawning understanding. "Ahh lass that's brilliant!" He laughed and dropped his arm around the clone, grinning widely at Laura. "Och, I'd love some company!"

"Then we're all agreed?" Laura smiled as Jen slipped her arm around Carson from the other side.

A positive chorus echoed boisterously through the room.

"Perfect!" Laura grinned widely and stepped forward, hooking her arms around the two Jen's and completing the tight circle. "Now all we have to do is explain it to Woolsey."

* * *

"Where's Dr. Beckett?" Richard Woolsey looked up as the two Jennifer's hurried into the heavily occupied conference room, followed by Laura.

"Helping Corporal Meyers to the infirmary." Laura snickered, as she slid into an empty seat between Evan and Ronon.

"Laura." Jen admonished, sliding into the seat on the other side of Ronon. "It's not funny."

"What happened to Corporal Meyers?" Woolsey asked from his seat at the head of the table.

"He walked into a post." Jennifer's duplicate explained as she walked over to Rodney, who was seated across the table from Sheppard.

"Apparently seeing One and Two together was a bit of a distraction." Laura swung her chair around towards Evan. "He did a double take and forgot to watch where he was going."

Teyla snorted, then promptly covered her hand with her mouth, and a muttered apology. "I am sorry. I should not laugh."

John grinned. "Why not? It's funny."

"No, Dr. Allen fainting was funny." Laura swung her chair around to face the Colonel.

"Dr. Allen fainted?" Richard blinked.

"She thought she was having some kind of hallucination." Laura nodded her head furiously.

"Hallucination?" Rodney asked the clone.

"Seeing double." The duplicate nodded, and glared across the table at Laura. "I told you we should have come separately."

"What?!" Laura snorted. "And miss all that fun?"

"You should have called me." Evan half pouted.

"Nah, then _you'd_ have to write up the report." John glanced over Laura's head at the Major.

"Oh… right." Evan nodded and glanced at Laura. "Good point."

Laura snorted. "Yeah you should have see- Hey! Oh come on!" She sighed at the knowing look she was getting from both her CO's. "Damn."

"Sorry I'm late." Carson exhaled sharply as he strode into the boardroom.

Richard removed his thumb and index from where they were pinching the bridge of his nose and waved his hand dismissively at the Doctor.

"Very well, then." Richard announced, glancing across the table to Jennifer, then to her clone, then to Beckett, who dropped into a chair at the opposite end. "I take it we have a solution?"

Jen glanced around at the expectant faces – everyone waiting to hear what they'd decided. Her friends. Their friends. Her eyes were drawn to Rodney - who looked so worried and tense. His shoulders were so hunched his jacket was wrinkled around his neck. But then she supposed if she were in the same spot, she would be just as messed up, if not more so.

Her double leaned towards the scientist, and immediately grabbed his fingers, giving him a warm smile.

Jen blinked at the way Rodney suddenly seemed to relax with such a simple gesture. It was freaky to see herself giving Rodney the kind of look she knew she probably gave Ronon. She shifted slightly in her chair, suddenly not wanting to follow where her mind was going. Ronon relaxed in the seat, sliding sideways and letting the chair rock back until he was practically touching her shoulder with his. Relaxing into the heat of his aura, Jen fought off the urge to lean forward and kiss him for being so damn observant.

As everyone's gaze move expectantly from her to the clone and back again, Jen suddenly felt fear and trepidation take hold. She stared across the table at her clone. It was a good idea… but Richard held the veto power. If he didn't accept… they'd be back at square one. She felt Ronon's fingers brush hers under the table and she gripped his hand, leaching his stability. Her duplicate stared back, her own expression one of forced bravado.

"I'm going to be going with Carson." Her clone announced firmly, and Jen realized she was using their _I'm CMO_ voice.

The room was silent as the statement trailed off – then with a sudden clap of sound, everyone erupted at once. Echo's of _great idea_, and _that should work_ routed around the table until Richard stood up with a "People, please!"

Once everyone calmed down, Richard sighed, and glanced at the three doctors. "_This_ is the brilliant plan?"

"It is." Jen nodded. "And the more time I have to think about it, the more I like it."

"Everyone wins." Her double agreed.

Rodney blinked and turned to the woman sitting beside him. The clone shifted in her seat to look directly at the scientist. "It is." She nodded. "It's a great idea. I'm still here… I'm still working… I get to help Carson. And… I can come back…" She squeezed his hand encouragingly.

"I…" Rodney blinked, then took a quick look at Carson who was nodding encouragingly. Then the scientist nodded and smiled happily. "Actually… it's genius."

"Thank you." Laura gave him a haughty smirk, and elbowed Evan in the ribs. "Hear that? Genius."

"Oh don't tell me." Rodney rolled his eyes.

"Don't let it go to your head." Evan muttered.

"Too late." John added.

"Okay…" Richard held up his hands in defeat. "I take it we have a plan of action?"

"Plan of action?" Jen and her clone echoed, earning them odd looks from the rest of the table.

"What's there to plan?" Laura snorted. "Give Thing 1 back her IDC, give Thing 2 a new one, and wham-bam-thank-you-mam."

"Wham bam…?" Teyla frowned at John.

"I'll explain later." The Colonel mouthed.

Richard blinked at the Lieutenant, who was watching him expectantly. With a clearing shake to his head he looked briefly at the ceiling before pulling off his glasses, inspecting them for dirt, then returning them to his face.

"Very well." He exhaled, the rest of his words lost to the chorus of cheers and happy exclamations as everyone hopped up and moved out into the hallway. "I wasn't… that's not… we have to…" He tried, and gave up, shaking his head at the empty seats staring back at him. With a deep sigh he stared down the length of the vacated table. "Meeting adjourned."


	20. Chapter 20

Making the trip down the confusing mess of corridors that was the city center, Richard Woolsey found himself happily admitting that he was pretty much comfortable with the layout of the honeycomb of hallways. He actually knew which ones moved in which direction, and even with the occasional misdirected turn, he almost always made it to where he was going in a relatively straight line.

Passing the mess hall, Richard wasn't really surprised to see the standard group sitting with the Keller twins. It was as though the two women had personally adopted a large group of children. Only these children were full grown adults who were either geniuses with weapons, technology, explosives, or science. And somehow, every one of the self-proclaimed experts had managed to degrade into a school yard group of fifth graders at the prospect of having two identical people in the city.

Oh sure, it had all stared out harmlessly enough – the entire city waking to discover the duplication of their CMO. Surprise and shock were standard exclamations… and then it all went to hell.

With everyone referring to the real Dr. Keller as Number One, it didn't take more than a few hours for the entire city to be entrenched in Star Trek warfare.

Colonel Sheppard automatically found himself slapped with the Captain Kirk moniker… somehow thanks to Dr. McKay, and Dr. Beckett couldn't stop himself from exclaiming "Damn it Jim, I'm a Doctor, not a miracle worker." every time the Colonel asked him a question.

Movie night played series after series to a packed audience, official SCG uniforms degraded into odd collections of colors, and Star Trek communicator pins were being manufactured in the engineering labs to work with the standard com systems. Scientists, Marines and Pilots alike couldn't stop referring to the Ancient scanners as tri-corders, and the city herself as the Enterprise. Arguments broke out over who was who, with the exception of Ronon, who not surprisingly, had everyone in agreement he would be Worf, even though the timelines weren't directly connected. Rodney was automatically dictated as Scotty, and Dr. Zelenka couldn't be found unless you paged Checkov.

Hell even the kitchen staff had gotten into the act. First by transforming even the blandest food items into a bizarre looking concoctions, using names that made absolutely no sense, then by distributing memo's renaming the mess hall to 10-Forward.

All in all it had been a hell of a week, and no matter how many memos, reports, and meetings he wrote, distributed, and held, no one heeded his requests for normalcy.

With a shake of his head Richard bypassed the jovial group and continued on his way, wondering just what he was going to put in his weekly report to his superiors, because as it stood now, there was absolutely nothing about this entire incident he wanted to pass on.

* * *

"So." Jen dropped into the chair next to the bed and stared at the pile of clothes and toiletries strewn across the end of the bed. "You almost packed?"

Her double shrugged and grinned. "Sort of. I mean… what does one pack for traipsing about the Pegasus galaxy?"

Jen leaned forward and snatched the worn USMC sweatshirt off the pile and tossed it at the half filled bag lying on the floor. "Definitely something warm."

"Hmm." Her twin snorted and flopped onto the messy bed. "I'd take it all but…"

"… what would_ I_ wear?"

"Exactly." She grinned up at the ceiling. "Mind you, I doubt Ronon would mind."

Jen laughed and grabbed a handful of clothing to toss at her twin.

"Just sayin'!" Her double flung the clothes off, and rolled off the bed. She sighed and dropped her hands to her hips, surveying the pile of clothes both on and off the mattress, and the small duffle that was already half full. "How the hell do the guys do this?"

"Do what?"

"Pack two weeks worth of stuff in one bag?"

"Because they don't wash." Laura snorted from the doorway as she walked into the room, her P90 swinging from the clip on the front of her TAC vest. "You two ready yet?"

"Thank god you're here." Jen's double rolled her eyes and flung her hand at the pile. "Make it work."

"Good lord, woman." Laura frowned. "You're going for two weeks… not two months."

"Yeah well… I couldn't decide."

"Move." Laura ordered, waving her hand dismissively.

Both Jen's stepped away as Laura dumped everything out of the bag into the pile on the bed. Within minutes she bounced the closed duffle onto the empty bed. "Voila."

"How the hell did you do that?" Jen stared at the closed bag incredulously, then at the clean surface of the bed.

"Skill." Laura plopped down onto the mattress next to the bag. "And a definite need to have more than a pair of BDU's and some pit-stick if the opportunity should arise."

"Opportunity?" Jen grinned while her clone laughed. "Are you saying the opportunity has arisen on occasion."

Laura eyed them smugly and held her hands palms up. "I'm just saying there are… rising opportunities."

"I don't think she's looking for any _opportunities_." Jen glanced at her clone, who was flushing. "Rising or not…"

"And what if Rodders comes for a visit?" Laura wiggled her eyebrows.

"Laura!" Both women exhaled.

Laura laughed and hopped up off the bed. "Come on." She lifted the bag and hooked the strap over her shoulder. "Carson's already waiting in the gate room."

Both Jen's followed the Lieutenant into the dimly lit hallway.

"I don't think I'll ever be used to the wacked out time changes." Jen shook her head and stepped in beside Laura, eyeing the sunglasses the Lieutenant had hooked through the front pocket of her vest.

"I know." Her clone answered, welcoming the opportunity to discuss something – anything – other than what was about to happen. "Talk about jet-lag. It's what, three A.M here, and…"

"… and sunrise on the other side of the gate." Laura nodded. "You'll get used to it."

"I doubt it."

Jen glanced at her clone, knowing full well the feeling was mutual. A sudden panic welled up into her throat and she pulled the other woman to a stop. She was leaving home… and it was hurting. "Let's postpone this…"

"No… no…" Her clone sighed, glancing around at the empty corridor. "I just… I'm okay. It's the…"

"The leaving…" Jen finished quietly.

"Yeah."

Laura turned back around and stopped beside them. "Look." The lieutenant said with a soft smile. "You're still here in Pegasus. You're still with the team. You just… have a change of duties for a while. We're not throwing you out, and you're not alone. Just think of it as… a… remote lab or something."

"I know." The double answered softly. "I just… it seems so… so fast."

"Woolsey's said you can come back whenever you want." Laura reminded her, hooking her arm around her other side as the trio walked towards the transporter. A flash of light and they were on the gate room level, the hallways empty with the early morning hour.

A throat cleared and the three women turned as Rodney stepped out of the shadows.

"I… uh… know you wanted this to be quiet and all…" He started, eyeing the three women, his eyes landing on the duplicate. "But… could I… we… talk… for a minute? Before we go?"

"Rodney." The clone smiled with relief and stepped forward. "Yes."

With Laura's pulling tug, Jen turned towards the floor of the gate room, leaving the two alone in the corridor. She couldn't stop herself from nervously pinching the silver ring hidden beneath the front of her shirt. How would she feel if the roles were reversed? Probably the same as she'd felt when they were reversed.

Terrified.

Jen knew she wasn't the one who was leaving, but somehow her chest was as tight as though she was about to walk through that gate herself. Her heart kicked up the beat and she had to force herself to walk towards Ronon at a normal speed, barely overcoming the panicked need for his silent reassurance.

Ronon straightened up from his slouched position and nodded his greeting. His gaze narrowed slightly and he stepped forward, meeting her halfway.

Carson, standing beside two large supply cases, dropped his rucksack at his feet and smiled at Jen. "Aye, there's my gal."

"Actually…" Laura shook her head slowly, setting the duffel bag down on the floor next to Carson's. "_Yours_ is slightly delayed."

Evan and John, both dressed for travel, turned as Laura stopped beside them.

Ronon angled his head towards Jen. "You okay?" He asked softly, while the others pestered Laura about how she was consistently able to tell the twins apart.

"Yeah." Jen nodded, shifting her weight until her shoulder was brushing the bare skin of his upper arm. "I'm good."

"Hmm…" He disagreed, but didn't press further when Rodney and the other Jennifer stepped up to the others.

"Well." Carson nodded. "Are you ready, lass?"

"No." The duplicate made a face, but then she smiled and glanced at the group gathered. "Yes."

Carson dropped his arm around her shoulder. "You'll be fine. I promise."

With John, Evan, Rodney and Laura set to escort the pair through the gate, Jen took a step back, giving her clone and the group some space. She didn't make it farther than a step and a half before coming up against a warm wall.

"She'll be fine." Ronon's voice was low, rumbling through his chest, warming Jen's back with it's stability.

"I know." She whispered, more to reassure herself than to answer his question.

But she didn't know. Not really. And as she watched the woman who'd lived her life for weeks ready herself to step through the dialing gate, she felt a sudden urge to stop her – to call her back – to think of something, anything other than the solution they'd come up with so happily a week before.

Ronon's hand landed on her shoulder, steadying her, heavy and firm . "She'll be fine." He repeated.

Her clone turned then, peering between Rodney and Evan, then took several steps forward crossing the floor towards Jen. Jen stepped out from beneath Ronon's hand and threw her arms around the other woman, hugging her just as tightly as the hug she was receiving in return.

"Thank you." Her clone whispered.

"For what?" Jen blinked, fighting back the sudden burn that stung her eyes. "For kicking you out of your home?"

"No, silly… For letting me go." The two women parted slightly, watching each other through identical eyes glassy with unshed tears. "It could have gone very different."

"They would never have-"

"There were many other options." The duplicate said quietly. "And be both know it."

Jen nodded at the truth in the words, unable to do more than shake her head. "I am sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be." Her double smiled, glancing over Jen's shoulder at Ronon, then over her own at Rodney, who stood with the others by the gate. "Somehow, I think we're both going to be just fine."

Jen smiled then, releasing the other woman. "You'd better go."

"Yeah." Her clone nodded. "Before we change our mind, huh."

Jen nodded. "Are you sure you don't want…"

"More company?" The double grinned, glancing at the group behind her. "Nah… I think I've got it covered."

"Be careful." Jen urged softly.

"I could give you the same advice." She laughed. "Although I think your bodyguard will up your odds a little more than mine."

Jen glanced quickly over her shoulder at Ronon, who was standing to the side, his arms crossed, watching them intently. She turned back to her mirror image. "All right." She laughed. "You're right... so then _you_ be _extra_ careful."

"I promise." The other woman backed slowly away. "See you in two weeks." Then she turned and joined the waiting group. With a few parting glances, they stepped through the gate and were gone.

Jen stared at the ring as it fizzled and died, leaving nothing left but an empty circle.

She twisted her body slowly away, her head, then eyes the last to follow as she finally turned her back on the rest of the room.

It was so quiet.

So…

Final.

She stared at Ronon, who moved out of the shadows to stand in front of her.

"Come on." He angled his head towards the hallway. "Let's get out of here."

"Yes please." She said softly, suddenly wanting to be somewhere, anywhere, but where she was standing right now.

The walk back through to the crew quarters was silent as she lost herself in her own thoughts. Everything still felt… wrong… disjointed. She was alone now. Alone in the city. In her city. Just her. No double. No clone. No twin. No other her… but… her.

_What the hell was she supposed to do now?_

Ronon stopped at the intersection of the hallway that led to her quarters, turning towards her when she hesitated, staring down the empty corridor at the door at the end.

Her door.

He glanced at her, watching the slow, steady shaking of her head as she argued internally.

"No." She finally exhaled, turning towards him, her eyes glistening. "I can't. I can't. Not yet… Please?"

He dropped his arm around her shoulders and with a quick kiss to her forehead, guided her towards the transporter. She didn't make a sound the entire walk through to his quarters, barely even breathing, just walking beside him, still shaking her head slowly.

The minute he pulled her into his room she lost the ability to hold it all back. Two months of fear and tension and a future filled with uncertainty flowed out in a strangled sob and she turned into him. He caught her quickly, his arms holding her tightly against him.

"I'm sorry…" She sobbed against the front of his shirt.

"She's going to be fine." Ronon tried to assure her, resting his chin on the top of her head. "_You're_ going to be fine."

"It's really over?"

"It's really over."

"I… I have no idea what I'm supposed to do now." She sniffed, twisting her fingers in the back of his shirt.

"Live." He said simply.

Jen half laughed, half sobbed. "Yeah, 'cause that sounds easy."

"I never said it would be easy." He kissed the top of her head. "But you won't have to do it alone."

"Promise?" She whispered.

"Promise." He said firmly, shuffling her backwards and further into the room. "Now lets get you into bed. Your first shift as the one and only CMO starts in a couple of hours."

"And if I don't want to go to sleep?" She lifted her face towards his as her knees hit the back of the mattress.

"I said _bed_." He smirked. "I didn't say _sleep_."

"Ah." Jen lifted her hands and hooked them around his neck. "Well in that case…"


	21. Chapter 21

**One Month Later**

"Did you get it?" Jen grabbed Laura's arm and yanked the young Lieutenant into her office. Her heart skipped a beat to see her friend, knowing just what it was Laura was bringing with her from Earth.

"Just call me Catwoman." Laura grinned, sliding her rucksack of her shoulder and setting it into the middle of Jen's desk.

Jen rushed to the door and swiped her hand over the access, locking them in. She'd been nervous enough asking Laura to help three weeks ago… now that it had actually come full circle she wasn't sure she was going to be able to keep herself from turning into a raving lunatic before morning. The timing was crucial, and she was going to need a miracle to pull this off without messing something up.

Laura dug into the knapsack and pulled out a wadded up sweatshirt, which she quickly unwrapped, revealing a long, thin box about the size of an egg carton. Its darkly smooth wooden finish reflected the muted overhead lights back at them, the seam between the lid and the base barely visible in the fine craftsmanship.

Jen exhaled, and stared at the box hopefully. "That's it?"

"That's it." Laura grinned.

When Jen reached for it, the Lieutenant jerked it back and held it out behind her. "Oh no!" She wiggled her index finger in front of the doctor's face. "Before I hand this little puppy over…" Laura glared. "I need to be sure you realize _exactly_ what you're doing."

"I know what I'm doing." Jen smiled, reaching for the box.

Laura side stepped, keeping the prize out of reach. "You realize that once you do this, you can't just take it back."

"I know." Jen sighed at the old argument. "If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't be doing it."

"Now's the time to change your mind…" Laura backed around Jen's desk, putting the paper covered surface between them.

"I'm not going to change my mind." Jen followed her around the desk, but Laura skipped out the other side and back to the front.

"I'm just saying you need to be sure."

"I _am_ sure." Jen held her hand out, palm up.

Laura moved the box further in behind her back. "It's not like you're giving him a scarf or something."

"A scar… Oh for god's sake. Would you just hand it over?"

"I'm just watching out for your best interests."

"My interests don't need babysitting, now gimme!" Jen dove for the box but Laura was faster.

"Imagine how _you'd_ feel if _he_ changed his mind?"

"Laura!" Jen exclaimed, dropping her hands onto her hips with exasperation. "I'm not going to change my mind! Now give me the damn box!"

"Sheesh." Laura snorted, handing over the parcel. "Who crapped in your corn-flakes this morning?"

"I'll have you know I had a muffin." Jen snatched the small case away. She turned towards her desk and set it gently on top, wriggling the tightly fit lid up off the base of the wooden box. When Laura sidled up beside her Jen covered it firmly with both hands, anchoring it to the desk.

"I just wanted to see." Laura pouted.

Jen narrowed her gaze and eyed her friend warily. "You've had it for eighteen days." She pursed her lips. "I'm sure you've _already_ seen it several times."

"Would I do that to you?" Laura exclaimed.

Jen raised an eyebrow.

"Well, okay, maybe I did check it out…" Laura admitted, holding her hands up in defeat. "But I only did it with your best interests at heart!"

"Uh-huh."

"I had to make sure everything was done right, didn't I?" Laura batted her eyes innocently. "I mean… your instructions were pretty freekin' specific."

With a sigh and a knowing shake to her head, Jen lifted her hands, earning her a grin from her best friend. Shifting the lid side to side, she finally separated it from the base of the small wooden container. Setting the top onto the desk she delicately flipped open the soft red cloth inside and stared at the item cushioned in the bottom.

"Wow." She exhaled, her fingers hesitating only a moment before lifting her prize from the folds of the satiny material. "It's fantastic."

"Yeah." Laura exclaimed. "Told you the man's a genius. I mean, just look at the detail! How he worked with it to begin with I'll never understand."

Jen turned it over in her hand, feeling the heavy weight. "Does it work?"

"Oh it'll work." Laura nodded. "Although I'm not sure he'll ever use it."

Jen grinned and set it back into the cushioned box. "He isn't supposed to use it." She said softly, sliding the material across the top and reseating the lid. "It just… needs to be… you know… real."

Laura turned so her hip was leaning against the side of the desk. She reached forward and crooked her pinky, hooking the leather strap that lay half hidden beneath the collar of Jen's jacket. Pulling the cord out, she let Ronon's large silver ring fall into the palm of her hand.

Jen lowered her chin and looked at the ring nestled against her friend's fingers.

"You're really going to go through with this." Laura said quietly. "Tradition and everything?"

Jen nodded. "Yeah. I really am."

"And if he doesn't?"

Jen took a deep breath, and exhaled the answer she'd been telling herself for the past three weeks. "Then I'm a fool."

"No." Laura carefully lowered the ring and let go. It bounced once against the outside of Jen's lab coat and lay still. "Then _he_ is."

Jen glanced up at her friend, the weight of the ring around her neck pulling at her heart. She blinked back the tears that had been skirting the edges of her emotions all day. "I have to know."

"I know, sweets. I know." Laura nodded, snapping her arms around her friend's neck and hugging her tightly. "And just so long as _you_ know… if he breaks your heart? I'm going to drop kick his ugly ass through a space gate."

Jen couldn't help but laugh.

Laura released her and stepped back. "Before I forget…" She dug into the front pocket of her knapsack and handed Jen a small folded card. "Your Dad said he's expecting one hell of an explanation." Laura grinned. "His words, not mine."

Jen took the card, her heart squeezing tightly knowing she'd see her father's handwriting inside. God how she missed him. She flipped open the small card and read the brief note, her laugh mixing with a half sob.

"Yeah," Laura nodded in agreement. "It's perfect, huh."

Jen smiled in agreement, and set the folded paper on top of the lid of the dark wooden box.

"Now, are you sure you want to do this tomorrow?" Laura asked. "I mean, you _can_ wait a couple of days… weeks… months…"

Jen shook her head furiously. "Are you kidding? Marie already thinks I'm a basket case. If I don't do it now she's either going to quit, or do it for me."

Laura grinned. "That bad, huh."

"Oh yeah." Jen shook her head, thinking of all the idiotic, half-brained, completely blond things she'd done or said she'd sent Laura on her quest.

"Their mission is still on for tomorrow?"

Jen nodded. "They're scheduled to leave at oh-seven-hundred."

Laura glanced at her watch. "And you're working until…"

"Two A.M. So I'll be… sleeping… when he… they… go to leave."

"Okay, tomorrow it is. You got everything straight?"

Jen nodded, clasping her hands nervously. "Yeah. I think so."

"You _think_…"

"I know?"

Laura sighed, and plopped down into one of the guest chairs. "Sit. We're going to make sure you can do it with your eyes closed."

"I need my eyes closed?"

"Only if you want to walk into a door." Laura said sarcastically and pointed at the empty chair beside her. "Now sit."

Jen sat.

* * *

Ronon stared up into the darkness, feeling the restless skip of Jennifer's heart as she lay across him, her limbs tangled around his. She'd gotten off shift hours ago, but she hadn't slept more than a few hours. Normally she dropped like the dead, not even stirring when he extracted himself from the bed, yet tonight she snapped awake every time he breathed differently.

She'd been on edge for a couple of weeks. Distracted at times to the point of seeming to be lost. Whenever he'd ask, she brush it off and apologize, but he could see the edges of something worrying her. The first week he'd attributed it to her clone's duties with Carson, but after their check-in came and went without incident, he couldn't help but feel there was something else bothering her.

Something she was keeping from him.

"What's wrong?" He finally asked, glancing at the clock next to his bed. He'd have to hit the shower in a few minutes if he was going to make their scheduled departure. But he'd forego it if he thought she'd give him an answer.

"Just… can't sleep, I guess." She whispered, her bare shoulder shrugging up slightly beneath his forearm. Her arm tightened across his chest and she burrowed deeper against him.

"Why not?" He knew she hadn't had anything unusual happen on shift, other than the new recruits from the Daedalus needing standard physicals. He couldn't think of anything that would cause her undo worry save for the mission they were leaving on… but it was a friendly planet. "It's a friendly mission." He suggested, wondering if it was his departure that bothered her this early morning hour.

Ronon felt her smile as her lips brushed the bare skin of his collarbone. "Yeah, and _friendly_ in this galaxy means squat."

"We're just negotiating."

"Again… Pegasus."

"I tell you what." He smiled, rolling onto his side and pulling her tightly in against him, flinging his leg over hers to pin her to the mattress.

Jen squirmed futilely, and laughed. "What?"

Happy to see laughter in her eyes, and not the worry he feared was there, he lowered his head. "I'll be back in two days." He nuzzled her neck, grinning when she shuddered and broke out into goosebumps.

"And?"

"And then…" He lifted himself up and flipped her onto her back, lowering his weight on top of her.

"Yes?" She hooked her fingers over his forearms and gave him an expectant glare.

"When I get back…" He trailed a short line of kisses from her ear down to her collar bone.

"When you get back…" She repeated, her voice dropping to a throaty whisper.

"I'll…" Leaving the thought unfinished he lifted his head and glanced at the clock. "Uh oh, gonna be late." With a wide grin he hopped quickly up off her and moved towards the shower. He felt the pillow connect with his backside and laughed.

A few minutes later he emerged from the shower, and quickly dried himself off. Jennifer was sprawled sideways across the bed, lying on her stomach, her arms hugging his pillow. He raised the lights in the room enough to find his things, quickly dressing while she watched him through sleepy eyes. Moving towards the bed, he threaded the buckles on his holster around his thigh.

"Two days." She ordered, rubbing her hand across his lower back when he sat beside her to yank on his boots.

"Two days." He promised, leaning down to kiss her temple. "Now get some sleep."

"Yeah, yeah." She muttered, burying her face in his pillow.

Grabbing his knives off one of the chairs, he slipped two into his boots, several more into various hidden pockets in the seams of his pants and coat, and a few more he tucked up into his dreads. He glanced around at the chair and the floor beneath, looking for the sharp blade he usually carried against the small of his back.

Jen's laughter distracted him and he turned.

"Loose something?" She grinned up at him, her face half covered in the blankets.

He dropped to his knees and looked under the bed. "Nope."

"Sure about that?" She snickered.

"Yup."

"You know if you weren't such a slob maybe you be able to find your stuff."

"_I'm_ not the slob." He raised his eyebrows when she threw off the covers and climbed out of the bed.

"Oh and it's all my fault you throw your clothes everywhere." She snorted, yanking one of his discarded shirts down over her head. It settled down over her, nearly dropping to her knees.

"I'm pretty sure I wasn't the one complaining about someone wearing too many articles of clothing…" He smirked when she flushed.

"You're going to be late." She sputtered, turning him towards the door. "I'll look, you go."

"It's the one with the-"

"Sharp pointy end…" She snorted, placing both her hands against the small of his back and trying to shove him forward. "I know… Now would you just go."

He grinned and turned, dropping quickly to steal a kiss. "Only if you promise to see me off wearing that."

She laughed against his mouth. "In your dreams, Dex."

He sighed and stared down at her slight form drowning in his shirt, the neckline falling off her shoulder to the point where it almost bared her left breast. Long, bare legs dropped out from beneath the hem, her hair mussed from sleep, a soft smile playing the corners of her mouth.

Oh yeah… dreams was definitely where he was going to be keeping this particular image.

Her eyes flickered briefly while he committed the vision to memory and his smile faltered. "You sure you're okay?"

She blinked and whatever it was slipped away again, hidden behind her smile. "I'm fine." She said softly, lifting herself up onto her toes to kiss him quickly. "Now go. Before I think of some bizarre medical reason that will keep you locked in your quarters for the day."

Without looking he waved his hand over the door access and backed into the hallway. "Two days." He growled, getting a full on picture of her standing in his room wearing nothing but his shirt.

Jen laughed. "Would you go already!"

With a grunt of displeasure at just what he was walking away from, he turned on his heel and strode down the hallway, wondering just when it was he'd lost his mind.

Beautiful naked woman in his bed vs boring trade negotiations.

Sheppard was most definitely going to owe him for this.


	22. Chapter 22

Ronon strode into the gate room, nodding at the Colonel, who stood in front of the silent ring.

"Didn't think you were gonna make it." John smirked.

Ronon scowled. "Me either."

"Sorry, Chewy." John nodded knowingly, and glanced up at Woolsey's office, barely visible from the corner of the main floor. "If I had my way…"

Ronon snorted, knowing damn well Sheppard hated negotiations almost as much as he did.

Teyla and Rodney entered from the back of the room, quietly arguing over just why Rodney was expected to accompany them on a trade negotiation.

"It's an aquifer." Rodney whined. "Hell, even Zelenka could fix it in his sleep."

"Rodney," Teyla smiled patiently. "You volunteered."

"I was being sarcastic!" Rodney exclaimed.

"Well apparently Mr. Woolsey did not see the sarcasm." Teyla suggested.

Rodney harumphed and stopped next to John and Ronon.

Teyla looked at the trio of men, and the accompanying scowls. "Must you all look so…"

"Grumpy?" John suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"Irritable?" Rodney added.

Ronon just glared.

Teyla rolled her eyes. "The Lorians are a wonderfully friendly people, and this trade agreement is very important to Mr. Woolsey."

John snorted. "Only because they make a damn fine red wine."

"Actually, they do." Rodney agreed, earning him a sharp glare. "What?" The scientist scowled. "Well, they do!"

"I'm quite sure we will have no trouble negotiating a quick settlement." Teyla continued.

"That's what you said last time." John reminded her. "Right before the _Sorcerer_ over there got us all arrested for witchcraft."

"Oh come on!" Rodney muttered. "That was _so_ not my fault…"

Ronon stepped away as the argument persisted, catching a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye. Jennifer walked into the gate room and hesitated, her gaze immediately picking out his. Dressed in her uniform, her hair pulled hurriedly back into a ponytail, she stopped beneath the overhang and waited for him.

Ronon continued towards her, wondering why she wasn't coming forward. In her left hand she held a swatch of white material, her arm hanging stiffly at her side. As he closed the distance, she shifted her weight nervously, glancing over his shoulder at the others. He quickly followed her gaze, and seeing them still arguing, dismissed them.

"You find it?" He stopped in front of her, his brow furrowing at the odd expression on her face. His gaze dropped to her hand but she didn't lift it.

"I… what? Yes… I… um… yeah." She nodded quickly, her bottom lip disappearing between her teeth.

Ronon stared down at her, his hand landing against her upper arm. "What's wrong?"

"What?" Her eyes snapped up to his. "No… nothing… not…"

"Jennifer." He pleaded. "Something is wrong."

"Oh hell." She exhaled, her eyes wide as she stared up at him.

Ronon could see the pulse hammering at the base of her throat and his chest tightened with worry. "Are you sick? Do you need to go lay down? Want me to call Marie?"

"What?" She squeaked, jumping slightly. "No!" She inhaled sharply and took a step back, snapping her right hand up. "I just… wanted to… Needed to… give you this. Before you go."

Ronon stared down in confusion at the handful of material clutched behind her fingers. She wanted him to take the cloth? Where was his knife? When he lifted his hand to take it, she didn't open her fingers. He glanced up and felt the worry growing to see that she'd turned slightly pale.

"Open it first." She ordered, her voice wavering.

Ronon frowned but pulled the delicate material back, wondering why she'd wrapped it in something so lacy. It was just a knife. As he moved the cloth, he could see the edge of the blade appearing beneath, but the one he'd lost was brown… why was this one so shiny? Something pulled at the edges of his mind but he stuffed it down, worry at her incredibly odd behavior jumping to the forefront.

When he finally pulled the last piece of soft cloth away he inhaled sharply, the memories surfacing with a snap.

_Silver_.

The four inch knife that lay in the folds of the cloth was silver in it's entirety. Intricately carved, delicate etchings traced up along the shining flat blade. The hilt was heavy and thick with carvings, the tip of which appeared to be the head of a wolf.

He glanced up, his hand hovering in the air above the gift she presented him.

Jennifer's eyes were wide, filled with worry and hesitation while she stared up at him, her body stiff with nervous energy. Her pulse slammed against the base of her throat, her lungs barely moving.

"Ronon! You comin' or what?" John called.

Ronon ignored him.

His eyes dropped back to the blade she held in her stiffly outstretched arm. A gift of silver. A gift of life. Wrapped in something that could only be hers. The beat of his own heart skipped into a higher mode with the realization of what she was doing.

Somehow… some way… she knew.

She was finishing his promise.

Her arm wavered and he slipped his left hand beneath hers, holding it steady. He didn't touch the knife with his right hand… not yet. Not until he was sure she understood.

"You know?" He managed to ask.

She nodded, the barest of movements as she stared up at him wide eyed. "Revel told me everything. It has to be silver that's mine to give. Wrapped in a mother's cloth, given with a father's blessing, and.. um… it has to be done with permission of the elder." She whispered, quietly listing the traditional elements needed to complete the promise. "The veil was my grandmothers, and then my mother's. It's part of their w-" She swallowed and continued quickly. "Part of a dress they handed down. To me. And the um.. the knife… It's… it's made from my silver. Melted down and um… re-forged."

Ronon angled his head, hesitation hanging in the air between them. She'd learned everything… but did she truly understand what she was promising?

He saw the flash of fear and uncertanty in her eyes and closed his left hand over her wrist, keeping her from fleeing. Revel was Satedan. Revel had given her the instructions. Jen offered him silver, but didn't touch it herself. It was still in the cloth, not in her own hand. By tradition there were two ways she could have proceeded. Take the knife from the cloth and place it in directly in his hand and the deal was done. She'd already had his pledge whether she knew it or not. Placing the knife in his palm would accept his promise with no exception. But to leave the knife in the cloth and offer it up made it _his_ choice, not hers. A choice he could refuse, should he so choose.

And if Revel told her everything…

Tightness clutched his abdomen as he slowly moved his left hand, gently tipping her right hand over until the folds of material fell away under the pull of gravity, revealing the back of her hand, and his ring, which now adorned her left thumb.

Tightly.

She'd had it resized.

Resized to fit _her_ finger.

Not his.

She'd taken ownership of the ring.

She'd taken ownership of him.

_She truly knew._

She knew what he'd promised her. That he'd given it all and expected nothing in return. Yet here she was… standing in front of him… offering him everything. She'd accepted his pledge, and offered her own.

And the damn fool woman was still worried enough to give him an out.

She knew that all he had to do was cover it back up and the bargain was void. He could walk away. Take his ring back and set himself free. Set her free.

His right arm twitched, but remained frozen in the air.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, panic stumbling her speech as she stared down at the knife. "I shouldn't have… I just thought… I…"

"Jennifer." He swallowed hard, his voice commanding her to look up.

She obeyed his order, hazel eyes heavy with worry, her heart lying raw and exposed to his intense gaze.

He lowered his right hand, and slid his left back, clasping both the knife, and her fingers, between his. She jumped at his touch, but didn't pull away. He slid his thumb across hers, rubbing the heavy set ring. It looked too big for her delicate hands… it looked chunky and awkward… it looked… perfect.

"Ronon?" She whispered, her free hand landing tentatively across the top of his as he slowly closed his fingers around the exquisitely carved knife.

"There's no going back." He said quietly.

She shook her head slowly, hope springing into her eyes. "I don't _want_ to go back."

Sliver. Cloth. Blessing. Elder.

She'd completed what she could, to his traditions and culture, and not her own. With that knowledge, and the strength of her words warming his heart, he took a deep breath, and lifted the knife off the cloth, separating it from her hand.

Jennifer inhaled sharply, her eyes jumping from his face, to his hand, then back again.

He rocked the knife against his palm, the perfectly balanced blade a testament of a true craftsman. It matched the dimensions of the blade he'd misplaced – the one she'd obviously hidden on him as part of her ruse. Her hilt was heavier, carved with symbols and ending with the fanged head and open snout of a growling wolf. Meant to be a showpiece – yet fully functional should it need to be used. There was definitely quite a story here… a story that might take time to tell… if her three weeks of nervousness had anything to say about it.

He smiled slowly and slipped the blade behind his back, sliding it into the sheath behind his belt. He leaned down, lowering his head until his mouth hovered just above hers.

"I love you, Ronon Dex." She whispered, her fingers pressing lightly against the front of his shirt.

"And I you, Jennifer Keller." He answered, kissing her softly.

"Hellooooo! If you two are done over there…" John called, and Ronon smiled against her mouth.

"I should go…" He sighed, debating on whether or not shooting Sheppard would get him out of the mission.

"Wait." Jen commanded softly when he moved to turn. She dug into her pocket and handed him a small note card.

Ronon accepted the heavy paper with a curious frown.

"A father's blessing." She whispered, her eyes warm and hopeful.

His smile faltered. He hesitated only a moment before flipping open the fold and reading the brief message.

_Love her. Respect her. Protect her. She's my baby girl._

_Hurt her, and I'll bury you alive. _

Ronon couldn't help but laugh. A worthy blessing if he'd ever heard one.

"I think I'm going to like your father." He grinned. "You sure he's not Satedan?"

Jen laughed, her fingers cool against the side of his arm. "I think he's going to like you, too. And no. But he _is_ from Wisconsin."

Ronon kissed her again, earning him a chorus of groans from the floor of the gate room behind him. He stepped back, unable to wipe the grin off his face. He knew he probably looked like a complete idiot but to hell with it.

At this point, he didn't care who saw.

He backed towards the others, unable to take his eyes off the flushed face of grinning woman who still stood in the shadows, a lacy piece of white cloth dangling from her fingertips. He stopped when he reached Sheppard's side. The Colonel gave him a knowing smirk before turning to Chuck up on control level and circling his index finger in the air.

"Ronon?" Jen called out, and he looked back towards her as the gate began it's dialing sequence.

"The city Elder." Jen pointed to a spot above his head.

Ronon turned, and glanced up into the masked face of Richard Woolsey, who was leaning on the railing outside his office, overlooking the gate room floor. Richard angled his head slightly, giving him a respectful nod.

Ronon turned quickly towards Jen, who shrugged and grinned widely. In two quick strides he had her up in his arms, spinning her in a tight circle while she laughed, her arms clutched tightly around his neck. He set her down with a hard kiss.

"Two days." He growled.

"Better be." She said firmly. "Or I'll drag your ass back here myself."

"Of that, I have no doubt, little one." Ronon laughed, then spun and ran up to the others. Teyla and Rodney glanced up to make sure he was following before crossing the event horizon.

"So, Chewey…" John raised both eyebrows and eyed Ronon with a smirk. "Wanna tell me what that was all about?"

Ronon grinned and clamped John on the shoulder as he passed, heading towards the liquid blue ring. "I just got married." He announced, then disappeared through the gate.

"WHAT?!" John's shouted exclamation echoed through the gate room. "Now? Here?! Ronon? Ronon! Get back here!" He shouted, his head spinning around to take in the laughing woman standing in teh shadows at the back of the room. John spun back around with a curse and ran at the event horizon after the disappearing Satedan. "God damn it! Ronon you can't just-"

The rest of the cursed sentence was cut off as the gate closed behind them, leaving only the sound of Jennifer's happy laughter, and the squeal of glee from the redhead who ran out of the shadows and nearly tackled her.

"Congrat's, J!" Laura giggled.

Jen grinned at her best friend, and waved a thank you up to Richard Woolsey, who shook his head with a good natured smile and a roll of his eyes, before disappearing into his office.

"Come on…" Laura urged, pulling Jen away from the gate room and into the hallway. "We've got a honeymoon to plan."

.

.

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END

* * *

**Well thank you kindly for coming along on this (rather drawn out) tale! :P It took us a while to get there... but we made it! :P - Nika**


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